Children's Home, Residential special school run by Cambian Autism Services Limited in Dorset

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 1 SC065261

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Cambian Autism Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is registered for up to 60 children with autism spectrum disorders and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The service operates as a residential special school that also provides accommodation for 52 weeks of the year. As a result, it is registered as a children’s home. The home provides care across nine houses. The home is owned by a private national organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 23 June 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection carried out from 20 to 22 July 2021. At that inspection, it was assessed that leaders and managers were not safeguarding children effectively. Following that inspection, Ofsted set a number of statutory requirement and restricted the home’s registration. As a result, the provider cannot allow any new children to move into the home during the restriction period.

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This monitoring visit

At this monitoring visit, inspectors found that leaders and managers at all levels have not taken timely and decisive action to address the widespread weaknesses found at the last inspection. Collectively, they have failed in their duty to ensure that the home is well led and managed effectively to prioritise the quality of care children receive.

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This monitoring visit

Scrutiny by leaders and managers of the day-to-day running of the home remains poor. They do not have accurate oversight of the home’s staffing arrangements. Records contain differing information about which children are in the home and the staff who are looking after them. As a result, neither senior leaders nor the regulator Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 2 are provided with an accurate account of the staffing arrangements without scrutinising several different documents. At this monitoring visit, inspectors found that sufficient staff have been employed in the home to meet the needs of the children as defined in their care plans. However, to meet these needs, leaders and managers continue to rely on temporary and agency staff. Consequently, some children are not being supported by permanently employed staff. This does not help children to build trusting and meaningful

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This monitoring visit

relationships with the adults who care for them and receive continuity of care.

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This monitoring visit

The restriction of accommodation will remain in place. Ofsted will continue to monitor the home’s performance, including the requirements issued at the full inspection and set out below.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/07/2021 Full Inadequate 25/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 3

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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 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 the 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

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

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(vii) (3)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring there are sufficient permanent staff to meet the care plan needs of the children.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, leaders and manager should ensure the home remains in good condition and is clean, and repairs to damage are actioned without delay. 3 September 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 4 The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure staffing shortages do not impact on children’s opportunities to enjoy meaningful and enjoyable activities in the community. 3 September 2021

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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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

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff being provided with expert training so that they can better support the children to improve their health outcomes.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must also ensure that children’s dining experiences are improved and that their diet is 3 September 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 5 nutritious and provides choice and expands the children’s currently restricted diet.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(xi)(b)) 3 September 2021

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d)) 3 September 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 6 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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

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

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)(c)(d)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the monitoring carried out by the manager and independent visitor is effective. 3 September 2021

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 3 September 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 7 that arrangements are in place to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider should ensure that all care plans are clear, concise and relevant to the child’s current needs and behaviours.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, all staff should complete all basic mandatory training and specialist courses to meet the needs of the children they care for. 3 September 2021

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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. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 8

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school registered as a children’s home

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Melanie Micklewright

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Inspectors

Sharron Escott, Social Care Inspector Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065261 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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