Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Somerset

Inspection report children’s home: 1240802 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

The home provides care for up to five children with social, emotional and behavioural needs. The home predominantly cares for children who have been sexually exploited.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has experienced significant changes in management. The previous manager was in post between September 2020 and February 2021. A new manager has been in post since 16 May 2021. The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is part of a large private organisation. The company employs its own clinical team. This resource is shared between this home and four other homes within the organisation.

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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 carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 8 and 9 September 2020 to carry out an assurance 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 Inspection report children’s home: 1240802 2 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

Date of last inspection: 26 November 2019

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1240802 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2019 Full Outstanding 18/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/10/2018 Full Good 22/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: 1240802 4

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home. One child moved out of the home during the inspection. There have been a further three children move out of the home within this review period.

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improvement to be good

The performance history of this home has been mixed. Significant weaknesses in leadership and management have had a negative impact on children’s progress and experiences.

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improvement to be good

Relationships within the home have not always supported positive outcomes. Children have previously reported feeling scared of other children within the home. Managers and staff did not do enough to ensure that children felt safe and comfortable. Children were living in a hostile environment that perpetuated their previous experiences of trauma.

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improvement to be good

Since the current manager has been in post, children’s well-being has been promoted. The children in the home told the inspector that staff support them. They feel understood and that staff make lots of effort to improve their experience within the home.

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improvement to be good

The manager is child focused and considers children’s lived experience when making decisions about their care. The manager is working towards creating a relaxed and comfortable home environment, and she challenges practice that could be deemed institutionalised.

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improvement to be good

The home is well maintained and there are plans to modernise the kitchen to make it a more useable and welcoming space. However, the grounds of the home need extensive work. This detracts from the efforts within the home to be welcoming and inviting.

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improvement to be good

Education is supported for children who live here. For example, the manager is working closely with one child’s school to offer on-site support and training to school staff that is tailored to the child’s needs. The manager is working with external professionals to deliver a holistic approach to the child’s care.

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improvement to be good

Previously, children were not safeguarded in this home. Children continued to be exploited and staff lacked professional curiosity and the support of the manager to disrupt harmful activity. Inspection report children’s home: 1240802 5 The new manager has good oversight of incidents. She reflects with staff and debriefs the children when something has happened. The manager is committed to providing trauma-informed care, which is evident in her discussions with staff.

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improvement to be good

There is good practice when restraints are used. Restraints are used as a last resort and have been used appropriately to keep a child safe from immediate harm.

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improvement to be good

Children smoke in this home. The home’s non-smoking policy is not yet embedded. Children do not receive the right support to challenge this harmful behaviour and promote healthier choices.

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improvement to be good

Children’s care plans do not contain enough information for staff to provide consistent care effectively. Key details are often missing. Plans do not outline the specific work around exploitation and how the child will be supported so that risks reduce.

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good

Following a whistle-blowing concern, senior staff found that management practice between September 2020 and February 2021 was inadequate. A new manager was recruited. Senior leaders have addressed the shortfalls in the home’s care of children and provided opportunity for reflection and learning for the staff team.

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good

The new manager has made a significant and positive improvement to the relationships in the home. Children feel secure and well cared for. Staff report feeling supported by the new manager.

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good

The manager’s confidence is developing. This will help her to challenge the decisions made for children by other professionals. On occasions, plans have gone ahead without challenge, despite the manager having valid reservations about the appropriateness.

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good

The manager does not have a robust system for overseeing the experiences and progress children are making to inform future plans that are dynamic and evolve with the child. Care planning does not fully consider the impact of the care provided on children, or evaluate it effectively, to continuously improve the quality of care.

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good

The manager provides regular supervision to staff, which provides staff with the opportunity to reflect.

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good

Staff told the inspector that they feel ‘excited’ by the new direction for the home. Staff feel appropriately trained and supported to care for the children. Staff are able to keep children safe. Inspection report children’s home: 1240802 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, 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s care plans: accurately reflect the individual needs of each child and how to care for them effectively to reduce risk; consider both the immediate and future needs of the child and that actions taken in the short term support the longer-term outcomes. 30 November

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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

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; and 14 December Inspection report children’s home: 1240802 7 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that care is underpinned effectively by creating accurate, up-to-date care planning documents which include a focus on the prevention of exploitation for each child.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing environment that is welcoming and supportive. In particular, the grounds of the property should be well maintained and provide a positive and safe space for children to enjoy. Doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the children and value them as individuals. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that an independent person visits the home at least once each month. In particular, the independent person should provide an objective view of the leadership and management of the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 1240802 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, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Victoria Elworthy

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Inspector

Katie Ratcliffe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1240802 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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