Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 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 home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may have social, emotional or behavioural problems.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in July 2020. There is no registered manager in post, as the former manager resigned in June 2021. The appointed manager has not yet submitted her application for registration to Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, 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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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 Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 2

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the last inspection, Ofsted issued three compliance notices in respect of the training that staff need to meet the individual needs of children, staff being able to safeguard children at risk of exploitation and the management monitoring arrangements in place. Progress against these compliance notices was assessed at this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/07/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 4

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improvement to be good

There is one child living in the home who was here at the last inspection; the other child has since moved on. The child living here was away with staff on holiday during the inspection and was not available to speak to the inspector.

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improvement to be good

The child has positive relationships with staff. She particularly enjoys taking part in activities with them. She also talks to staff about matters of importance to her and she generally responds well to the care she receives. She is making progress from the point of the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

One child moved from the home because staff were unable to meet their needs. The home’s manager did not ensure that plans for the ending of the placement were clearly defined. This meant that the child did not understand why they were moving or where they would live next. This child did not have a positive experience of leaving the home.

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improvement to be good

This inspection took place during the school summer holidays. The child who moved on did not attend school for the remainder of the academic year. Because of this, the requirement previously made in respect of children’s education cannot be assessed at this inspection. It is made again.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are met. Staff persist in talking to children about smoking and they also arrange smoking cessation support. As a result, children smoke fewer cigarettes and are becoming healthier. This is a notable improvement since the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

Staff have undertaken required training. As a result, they know far more about the cultural identity of one child. Staff have also learned about the impact of trauma and how this affects children’s behaviour. As a result, staff are more attuned to children’s individual needs. This means that the care they provide is more effective. The compliance notice in this respect is met.

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improvement to be good

Staff help the child to develop independence skills. This involves a structured, individualised programme of support. Staff talk to the child about her aspirations and link her hopes for the future to her education plans. This means that work on getting ready for independence takes place in line with other aspects of care planning.

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improvement to be good

The home is now very well presented. It has been fully decorated since the last inspection. Children chose the colour scheme and decorative items. Not only does this help children to feel invested in the home, but it emphasises that their views should be taken seriously. Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 5

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improvement to be good

The child in the home is vulnerable to online exploitation. Staff do not do enough to help the child learn about this risk. Risk management plans do not identify this concern, so staff are not guided in how to respond to such issues. This means that the child’s understanding of this form of exploitation remains undeveloped. She continues to be at risk.

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improvement to be good

One child became safer from child criminal exploitation. Staff learned from training they undertook and changed their practice. They responded quickly when they did not know the child’s whereabouts, meaning that the child became safer. The child began to understand that adults should act to protect children. As a result, the compliance notice made in this respect is met.

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improvement to be good

Staff use their improved knowledge of the impact of trauma to respond more effectively to the behaviour of children. Since the last inspection, the staff have not used the police to manage behaviour. The number and severity of incidents is noticeably reducing. As a result, children have a more positive experience of living in the home.

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improvement to be good

The response from staff to children who are missing from home is good. Staff follow the home’s protocol closely, including searching locally and further afield. Staff speak to children about the risks of being missing from home. Staff suggest different strategies for children to use if they are worried when they are not at home. This approach is effective, and the child is becoming safer.

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good

The manager’s oversight of the home is improving. She is developing new monitoring systems. For example, the manager now reviews all key-work sessions. This progress means that the compliance notice in this respect is met. However, more work is required. Some of the monitoring is simplistic and unrealistically positive. This means that staff do not fully understand the impact on children of some issues they face.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision of their practice. However, not all supervisory staff have the required level of experience to perform this role. This makes it difficult for new staff to learn, through supervision, the complexities of providing good-quality care for children in a residential setting.

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good

The home is now fully staffed. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. Children are now being cared for by staff they either know well or are beginning to know. This helps children to form positive relationships with staff and to respond to the care they are provided. Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 6 New staff are recruited safely. Checks are undertaken before staff begin working in the home. New staff complete a programme of introductory training before they work with children. This means that children are looked after by adults who are prepared for the role and can offer a consistent level of care.

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good

The manager is now well supported by external monitoring. A new independent person has been appointed to undertake monthly visits to the home. This change is already having a positive impact and the manager has a clearer understanding of where changes are required.

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good

No children have moved into the home since the last inspection. This means that the requirement made in this respect cannot be judged as being met. The manager accepts that the admission process for one child was poor. She is committed to improving how children are admitted to the home in future. Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 7

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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 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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; and

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated, as children have been on school holidays and therefore improvement cannot be demonstrated or measured. 30 November

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe; and 30 November Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 8 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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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

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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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; 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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders must ensure that the monitoring they undertake of the home is realistic, including in terms of staffing, and brings about change for children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 30 November

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 30 November Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 9 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders must ensure that children are only admitted to the home when impact risk assessments take into account the wider needs of any child already living in the home, and the skills and experience of the staff team. Any child who moves on from the home should be helped to do so as positively as possible.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated, as no children have moved into the home since the last inspection.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any staff member in a deputy or supervisory role, such as ‘shift leader’, should have substantial relevant experience of working in a children’s home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.21)

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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: 2597736 10

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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

Jane Titley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2597736 11 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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