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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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is registered for up to 60 children with autism spectrum disorder 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

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has resigned. A new manager is in post and has informed Ofsted that they intend to apply to become the registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

Two full inspections have been completed in 2021 where serious concerns were identified about the overall experiences and progress of children. These concerns centred on the poor physical condition of some children’s rooms, the sufficiency, consistency and capability of staff and the quality and impact of aspects of the home’s management. At this monitoring visit, inspectors reviewed the actions taken by the provider in response to Ofsted’s notice to restrict the admission of more children.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found that leaders and managers are taking appropriate steps to address the weaknesses identified at the previous inspections.

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This monitoring visit

Bedrooms previously found to be unhygienic and with significant health and safety hazards are now clean and safe. Action has been taken to address the underlying causes of these concerns so that they should not happen again.

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This monitoring visit

Sufficient staff are in place to meet the needs of the children as identified in their care plans. However, the staffing requirements cannot be met without the ongoing Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC065261 2 use of temporary staff. Some temporary staff have worked in the home for a long time and know the children well. Other temporary staff are more transient. This regular coming and going of different staff has a negative impact on the quality of relationships children can build with them and ultimately affects the quality of progress the children can make. The notice to prevent the home from admitting more children remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

A development plan focused on improving the strategic operation of the provision is being actioned. The success of these actions cannot yet be confirmed as it is very early days in the plan’s implementation.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has resigned. A new manager is in post and has informed Ofsted that they intend to apply to become the registered manager. The manager is taking action to improve the leadership of each house. More work is needed to embed these improvements consistently as some staff still report that they receive little input from care managers and senior leaders. Other staff say that they receive good support.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors have asked leaders and managers to review the ongoing use of locked doors/gates and restrictive practices in place across the home. The requirement in relation to the quality of care that children receive, made at the last inspection, has been amended to reflect this. In some cases, staff have not found more creative ways to help children.

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This monitoring visit

Not all requirements made at previous inspections have been reviewed at this inspection; they will remain in place until they are reviewed. Ofsted will continue to monitor this home and review the notice to restriction admissions. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC065261 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

12/10/2021 Full Inadequate 20/07/2021 Full Inadequate 25/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC065261 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 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 that 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 managers should review the ongoing use of locks and restrictions in the children’s environment 01/01/2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC065261 5 with a view to finding creative strategies to help children to make progress.

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Requirement Due date

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 that staffing shortages do not impact on children’s opportunities to enjoy meaningful and enjoyable activities in the community.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at a previous visit and is restated. 03/09/2021

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that child protection records provide a clear audit trail setting out what 01/12/2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC065261 6 action has been taken, when the action was taken and what the outcome was.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last visit 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

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 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

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.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at a previous visit and is restated. 03/09/2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC065261 7 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—

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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

This requirement was made at a previous visit and is restated. 03/09/2021

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that fire evacuation records include details of all the adults who engaged in the evacuation.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last visit and is restated. 01/12/2021

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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

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Sharron Escott, social care inspector Paula Lahey, 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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