Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Oldham

Inspection report children's home: SC067899 1 SC067899 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 home is one of a number of children’s homes operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to seven children. However, a decision has been made by the provider that it will only provide care for up to four children. This is reflected in the home’s statement of purpose. At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home. He spoke to the inspector about his experiences living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager registered with Ofsted on 31 August 2017.

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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 visited the setting on 26 and 27 April 2021 to carry out a full inspection. We also visited on 9 June 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The reports are 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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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate Inspection report children's home: SC067899 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: Two compliance notices were issued following the inspection on 26 and 27 April 2021. They related to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. The monitoring visit carried out on 9 June 2021 confirmed that the provider had taken action to meet the compliance notices.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/04/2021 Full Inadequate 20/01/2020 Full Good 11/07/2018 Full Good 26/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC067899 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The provider has made significant improvements to the quality of care provided to children and to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child says he likes living in the home and that he feels supported. Some of the comments he made are, ‘Staff are good’, ‘The home is nice’, ‘They help me’ and ‘Everything here is good’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Changes in practice mean that staff are more available to children. The child benefits from one-to-one time with staff and has been supported to develop better quality relationships. He enjoys attending sport and fitness sessions with staff and is developing his confidence. Key conversations are taking place. Staff engage him in aspirational discussions about his future and he has the opportunity to talk about issues that are affecting him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is in the process of moving onto a semi-independence placement. In preparation for his transition, staff work creatively to try and engage him in developing his independence skills. The team has been proactive in ensuring his pathway plan is up to date and reflects his individual needs. He is reluctant to move to his new placement, and the team has supported him to raise his concerns. Despite ongoing communication between the home and his placing authority, his transition plan remains unclear.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team has completed a range of training programmes and workshops to enable them to better understand children’s emotional and complex health needs. Routine and specialist health services are appropriately accessed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is promoted, with practical support and financial rewards in place to encourage attendance. Staff work closely with education providers to address any issues, and ensure plans are in place to support children when they are reluctant to attend.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s cultural heritage and identity are supported. The staff team supports children whose first language is not English and, as a result, children make significant progress in developing their English language skills. Children are also able to communicate with staff who are multi-lingual, and have access to translators and communication aids as required. Key documents are translated to ensure that children understand their plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recent changes to decoration and furnishings mean that the home is a welcoming and homely environment for children. Bedrooms are personalised and colour coordinated, giving children a comfortable space to relax. Further refurbishments are planned and are being overseen by the manager. Inspection report children's home: SC067899 4

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

The child says he feels safe and listened to. He knows how to make a complaint and feels able to raise any issues. Professionals recognise the progress he has made.

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

Risk and behaviour management plans clearly identify individual risks alongside clear strategies for staff to use to keep the child safe and minimise risks. The plans include discussions with the child, enabling them to reflect on their behaviours and take age-appropriate risks safely.

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

Children have been supported to move out of the home in line with their placing authority’s plans. Matching processes for children moving into the home have been strengthened. There is clear decision-making by the manager in consultation with the team and the organisation’s psychologist. Welcome packs have been created to help children develop a sense of belonging in the home. However, as no children have moved into the home since the changes have been implemented, their impact is limited at present.

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

Missing from home procedures are well understood. Changes in practice have resulted in a significant reduction in missing from home episodes. There are clear expectations for staff to make every effort to locate children and encourage their safe return.

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

Staff have completed a range of training courses and workshops to address shortfalls in knowledge, resulting in improved practice and consistency in the home. There have not been any significant incidents, allegations, sanctions or complaints since the monitoring visit in June 2021.

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

The child does not have any family in England. In agreement with his placing authority, staff support him to see his friends. Safeguarding checks have been completed and staff maintain regular communication with him when he is outside of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is supported by a deputy manager and team leaders. Together they have taken action to address shortfalls and provided clear leadership and guidance to the team. The inspection was facilitated by members of the management team. However, it was identified that some information stored electronically by the manager could not be accessed in her absence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Changes to internal monitoring systems and practices in the home have led to increased management oversight. However, stakeholders are not routinely consulted, and opportunities to further strengthen the home’s quality assurance processes have been missed. Inspection report children's home: SC067899 5 Recording systems have been updated to ensure effective communication sharing and consistency. Recording discrepancies identified during the inspection were swiftly addressed by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable. The majority of staff have worked in the home for several years and agency staff are not used. Staff feel supported and have opportunities to progress within the organisation. There is a renewed energy and focus about the team, and staff say morale is high. They feel they have benefited from the changes that have been implemented following the previous inspection and are clear about the vision for the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Work has been undertaken to ensure that all staff have supervision in line with the organisation’s supervision policy and that any issues are adequately explored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose has recently been reviewed but has not been amended to reflect the current staffing levels.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirements and recommendation made at the last inspection have been met. Inspection report children's home: SC067899 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, 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.

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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 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

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need on order to live their comfortably;

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iii)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to the completion of ongoing redecoration and refurbishment. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to staffing levels in the home. 30 September Inspection report children's home: SC067899 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving the home, practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)  The registered person should ensure that all records are maintained to a high standard. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the views of third-party stakeholders are frequently sought. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that there are clear arrangements in place to access management information when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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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: SC067899 8

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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, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Caroline Bertram, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC067899 9 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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