Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 1 SC476252

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Cambian Childcare Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to five children who have experienced early life trauma. The home specialises in providing therapeutic services for children who have experienced sexual abuse.

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Information about this children’s home

An acting manager is in post due to the registered manager being absent from the home.

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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 5 July 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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This monitoring visit

On 5 July 2021, Ofsted undertook a monitoring visit. The visit found significant failures in the management and oversight of the home. Children were being cared for by an insufficient and inexperienced staff team. The inspector found that managers and staff were not keeping the children safe effectively. As a result, Ofsted issued a notice of restriction of accommodation and two compliance notices under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

On 11 August 2021, Ofsted undertook another monitoring visit. The purpose of the visit was to review the provider’s progress. The inspector found that the provider had taken enough action to meet the compliance notice under regulation 12. However, concerns remain in relation to the leadership and management of the home, and the notice in relation to regulation 13 was not met. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 2 Since the monitoring visit, one child has started a planned transition from the home. The manager and staff have supported the child well. This includes liaising with the staff at the child’s new home. For example, providing the child’s new staff with advice and guidance on how the child communicates their needs through their behaviour. The child’s social worker said the transition is going ‘better than expected’ and that this is a credit to the home. This will help the child to settle more easily into

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This monitoring visit

Children are now receiving consistency in the care they receive. Managers have reviewed children’s health plans. Children now have clearer routines in place to meet their needs. Managers promote inclusion. They ensure that all children are able to engage in activities. As a result, children feel valued regardless of their complex needs.

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This monitoring visit

There have been improvements to the home environment. Repairs that were outstanding at the last inspection are now complete. However, the fire service is yet to confirm that they are satisfied that their recommendations for improvement are complete.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have implemented a high level of management support in the home. An external quality assurance intervention manager has been auditing the home’s safeguarding procedures, as well as the staff’s practice in general. Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the shortfalls in staff practice. As a result, they have redesigned the home’s workforce development plan. This identifies the staff’s training needs. Managers are implementing this training to strengthen the staff’s knowledge and skills to provide better care to children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are encouraging reflective practice in the home. They are helping staff to re-examine their practice during supervision and during upskilling sessions. During supervision, staff revisit their job descriptions and complete a ‘capability matrix’. This information helps managers to identify the strengths and the areas of development in the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have prioritised the review of safeguarding procedures. Incidents have significantly decreased. One child who was often attempting to leave the home has not done so. Overall, staff are now appropriately reporting safeguarding concerns. However, a member of the maintenance team did not report a safeguarding concern to the home’s manager. They waited until the next day to report this to their own line manager. As a result, there was a delay in managers taking action to keep the child safe.

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This monitoring visit

Investigations of staff practice remain incomplete. One staff member has been on a ‘no lone working risk assessment’ since June 2021. This because a child made an allegation about them. The investigation into this incident has only recently begun. Managers have not spoken to this child or kept them informed about what is happening. The delay in resolving the incident has affected the child’s relationship Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 3 with staff. This is because the staff member is unable to work with them alone. Moreover, the child is not helped to understand why.

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This monitoring visit

When serious incidents occur in the home, the response of staff remains inadequate. Children do not receive the reassurance and support they need to feel safe. As a result, children live with uncertainty and a lack of trust in the adults who are caring for them.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, consultation with children in the home continues to be poor. Children are not consulted enough about their view on the care they receive. Neither are they consulted in a way they will understand. As a result, children are not listened to and their experiences do not inform the care they receive.

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This monitoring visit

The home does not have enough staff to care for the number of children they are registered to care for. Furthermore, the managers are the only members of staff who are suitably qualified.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the concerns identified, the restriction notice will remain in place. The compliance notice in relation to regulation 13 will be reissued. In addition, several of the requirements issued at the last monitoring visit are restated.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 14/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/09/2019 Full Good 31/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 4

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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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that maintenance workers understand and follow safeguarding procedures in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 19 September

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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— 19 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 5 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that children are cared for by staff who have the skills, the knowledge, the experience and the ability to meet children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

Also, leaders and managers should ensure that the staff team is stabilised so that children are cared for by staff who are familiar to them. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 6 Also, leaders and managers should ensure that any shortfalls identified when monitoring and reviewing the care that children receive are responded to promptly and are investigated in a timely manner. This includes any complaints and allegations.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire;

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Requirement Due date

make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(30) 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.

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Requirement Due date

In this regulation, ‘the fire and rescue authority’ means the fire and rescue authority under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004(2) for the area in which the home is located. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2)(a)(b) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that any recommendations made as a result of the fire audit are promptly met, in addition to ensuring that any improvements are maintained. The manager must ensure 19 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 7 that they request confirmation from the fire service that these recommendations are met.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered provider ensuring that the responsible individual has the skills to effectively oversee and supervise the management and the operation of the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 5 September 2021

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare.

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; and

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care; 19 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 8 ensure that each child—

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) (b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager and the staff ensuring that they use a variety of methods to ascertain children’s wishes and feelings. This information should then be used to inform the quality of care that children receive.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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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Inspector

Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476252 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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