Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Warrington

Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 1 SC456942 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 operated by a large private organisation. It is registered to provide care to one child. There has been no registered manager at this home since January 2020.

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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 11 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring 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 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: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/06/2018 Full Good 12/07/2017 Full Good 18/01/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, one child lived at the home. The child said that staff care about him. The child’s bedroom is personalised, and his interests are actively promoted by staff. Observations and conversations show that the child is happy and has good relationships with the adults who care for him.

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improvement to be good

The manager has not ensured that he has an updated education, health and care plan that accurately reflect the child’s needs and progress. As a result, the child’s transition to further education and training was significantly delayed.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers do not create contingency plans for each child when they are not in education. This hinders some children’s academic progress. There is also a lack of multi-agency input to help each child overcome any educational barriers that prevent them from reaching their potential.

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improvement to be good

Not all children benefit from well-planned transitions to adulthood and independent living. As a result, not all children understand when they are moving on from the home or what support they will receive when they make these significant changes in their lives.

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improvement to be good

The child’s plan does not contain important goals and how staff will support the child to reach his full potential in all areas of his life. As a result, staff and the child do not have a shared understanding of the outcomes that they are working towards. Furthermore, not all staff have a thorough awareness of the child’s background and care experiences. This undermines clear and effective care planning where each child’s experience is fully considered.

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improvement to be good

Healthcare needs of children are a priority for staff. They all have primary healthcare professionals in place. Annual health assessments and reviews take place within timescales. Children requiring specialist support with emotional and psychological needs are provided with this through appropriate therapeutic interventions. This ensures that the overall healthcare needs of the children are both understood and valued.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child living in the home to make memories through activities and personalised memory books. The staff team and manager ensure that positive memories are made with the child by celebrating special occasions together.

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

The child who is currently living at the home is safe and protected from harm. He is cared for by a committed and dedicated staff team. Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 4 Staff feel confident in managing risk. They consistently follow the strategies outlined in the child’s plans, to keep the child safe. Staff are skilled at building trusting relationships with the child. This is helping the child to stay safe.

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

Staff understand the risks that children may face when they misuse drugs or alcohol, display self-injurious behaviours or go missing from the home. Direct-work sessions are completed with children to help them understand the risks they may face, both inside and outside the home.

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

Staff are skilled in proactively identifying emotional triggers for the child, which helps staff to de-escalate incidents in the home. On occasions, this has prevented the child from causing damage and going missing from home.

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

When children go missing, staff proactively search local areas and known places to ensure that they are supported to return home safely. Staff have a good understanding of why children go missing from home and use this information to inform the risk management plan. Missing-from-home incidents have significantly decreased.

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

Safe and effective recruitment and induction processes help to safeguard children. New staff members are well informed and knowledgeable after undergoing safeguarding training at their induction stage regarding the risks faced by children.

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

The manager and staff understand and follow the behaviour management plans in place. They have developed an approach to behaviour management that includes providing rewards and consequences. Children respond well to this approach and there has been a reduction in unsafe behaviour in the home.

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

At times, staff’s safeguarding practice is risk averse. Risk assessments are not always bespoke to the child’s individual needs or reflect their progress. This is preventing the child from taking age-appropriate risks and developing their independence skills.

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good

The manager has been in post since May 2021. He has applied to register with Ofsted.The manager is passionate about providing a caring, supportive environment where children thrive.

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good

The manager does not consistently provide clear direction or detailed plans to help staff safely support each child. This means that not all staff understand the relevant plans for the child or what they are working to achieve.

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good

The manager does not have sufficient systems in place to review and monitor the quality of care provided in the home. For example, a child’s independence plan was not being implemented by the staff. This means that specific pieces of learning and Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 5 reflection are not being undertaken with the child. This could be detrimental to the child’s transition to adulthood.

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good

Staff speak highly about the support the manager provides. The staff benefit from thorough inductions, regular professional supervision, and a comprehensive training package. All of this is helping the staff to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

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good

The manager’s oversight of the home’s records continues to be weak. His evaluation of incidents in the home does not inspire a learning culture. For example, his focus is largely on the child’s behaviour and not staff’s response and any lessons learned. Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 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 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 requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; and

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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. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Staff need to ensure that each child is engaging in education as set out in their plan, and that following secondary education they have plans in place in a timely manner. 17 December

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 17 December Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 7 This is in relation to children receiving advice and support around sexual health in line with their age and understanding.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to the manager’s oversight and evaluation. The manager needs to ensure that he reviews and evaluates the child’s risk assessments. 17 December

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager and staff need to ensure that transition plans are in place that meet the needs of the child post 16 and that children are prepared for independence. 17 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. When there is damage to the home or garden this should be fixed without delay. This is in relation to the cracked and uneven paving flags in the rear garden that present a hazard. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 8

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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: SC456942 9

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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

Registered manager: Babajide Akinyelure Soji

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Inspectors

Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector Marina Tully, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456942 10 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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