Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 1 SC066187 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 provides care for up to three children aged between 10 and 18 with social and emotional difficulties. The home is privately owned. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2014 and is suitably qualified.

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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. We last visited this setting on 27 January 2020. 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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 27 January 2020

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/01/2020 Full Outstanding 19/02/2019 Full Outstanding 13/02/2018 Full Outstanding 23/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 3

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outstanding

There are three children currently living at the home. Two of these children were living at the home at the time of the last inspection. In November 2021, the staff team successfully supported one child to move on to semi-independent accommodation. This child had lived at the home for six years. A new child moved into the home in November 2021.

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outstanding

The manager’s and staff’s dedication and skill mean that children have continued to receive a consistently high standard of care. As a result, children make excellent progress in all aspects of their lives as well as enjoying many positive experiences. Examples of progress include one child achieving his GCSEs in the summer and he is now making significant progress at college. The same child is now travelling independently to college. Since the last inspection, children have matured, have continued to develop their independence skills and are becoming more outgoing, confident and proud of their own achievements.

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outstanding

Staff have high aspirations for children and believe that they can achieve their potential. This motivates children to achieve academically. As a result, all children’s attendance at school and college is excellent and they have made significant progress from their starting points.

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outstanding

Extremely positive and meaningful relationships are shared between staff and children. Children know that staff genuinely care about them, which assists them to significantly improve their levels of self-esteem and self-worth and to move forward in their lives. Consequently, children are thriving physically, emotionally and socially.

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outstanding

Children participate in a variety of activities; for example, children attend gymnastics and social clubs. These social activities help children to improve their self-esteem and confidence. One child volunteered for a month at a charity shop, which helped them to gain experience in the workplace.

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outstanding

Staff work extremely closely with children to help them to review the progress that they are making and agree new goals. As a result, children’s progress is recognised and celebrated.

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outstanding

The home is highly personalised. For example, there are photos of children displayed around the home. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and all aspects of the home are maintained to a good standard. Further redecoration and refurbishment are planned for the new year. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 4

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outstanding

All staff have an excellent understanding of their roles and responsibilities and are extremely vigilant in safeguarding children from harm. Staff work creatively to ensure that mutual trust, respect and confidence are fully embedded into their care practice. Children have one-to-one support from staff, which means that staff are always available to support them at the home. Staff have highly detailed and reflective conversations with children to help them understand their behaviours. This support helps children to make sensible choices and to be safe.

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outstanding

Children are safe and feel safe in the home. Staff support children to express their emotions and frustrations in a safe way. As a result, there is no bullying and children have positive relationships with one another and the staff team.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that they keep high-quality risk assessments up to date so that they can keep children safe. These detailed records reflect changes in children’s behaviours and vulnerabilities. Staff use these records daily to ensure that they maintain an in-depth understanding of children’s individual needs and risks.

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outstanding

The registered manager has used research-based practices to help staff to develop excellent strategies to support children. Documents informing staff about children’s risks and children’s care plans provide staff with clear guidance of how to reinforce and support children in their interactions. This ensures that staff practice is embedded with supportive language and their interactions with children are warm, safe and child-focused.

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outstanding

All staff have an excellent understanding of the issues that children face. As a result, there are minimal incidents. On the rare occasion that there is an incident or safeguarding concern, staff respond swiftly to report concerns and take action to ensure that children are kept safe.

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outstanding

Staff apply consistently clear routines and boundaries. This means that children understand what is expected of them. The staff team works closely with the therapist to ensure that approaches to manage children’s difficulties are fully considered and well thought out. As a result, staff have not used physical interventions, and instead, they focus on de-escalating children’s behaviours.

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outstanding

Children do not go missing from the home. The positive relationships that staff have with the children mean that they recognise and respond quickly to changes in behaviour and offer additional support. Children appreciate the care and support they receive from staff and are invested in these relationships, which reduces the likelihood of them going missing from the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since 2014. She is suitably qualified and experienced. The registered manager and the deputy manager provide excellent leadership. The registered manager is highly innovative and is respected by the staff, children and other professionals. She has high expectations for the quality of care provided to children and this is delivered by a dedicated staff team. As a result, children achieve excellent outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have a thorough understanding of the strengths and areas for further development in the home. They ensure that the home achieves and goes beyond its aims as set out in the statement of purpose. Managers scrutinise all aspects of the service to ensure that it continues to meet the children’s needs and helps them to reach their potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff advised the inspector that the managers are incredibly supportive. They have regular supervision and team meetings that support and develop the staff team. The registered manager has supported staff to understand their own learning styles and personality types. This has ensured that the managers and staff team understand each other’s strengths and areas for development. As a result, members of the staff team are exceptionally well supported and supportive of each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have a comprehensive range of training opportunities, including essential courses such as safeguarding and first aid. In addition, they receive a range of training courses that are specific to individual children’s needs. This includes awareness training relating to children who may have autism spectrum disorder, or who have experienced bereavement and loss and adverse childhood events. As a result, staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

In addition to high-quality training, the registered manager has researched and implemented a well-known model of reflection to ensure that following any serious incident staff reflect on the incident, their response and what they could have done differently. This approach has ensured that staff learn from incidents and adapt and improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and staff team have developed strong relationships with all the relevant professionals, including school staff and social workers. The therapist offers clinical support sessions to staff to develop their understanding of children’s behaviours and presenting difficulties. As a result, there is excellent communication between professionals and the strategies put in place support the children to make excellent progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Most staff are suitably qualified and have a level 3 diploma in residential childcare. One member of staff is out of timeframe for obtaining this award. This has not had an impact on the exceptional care delivered to children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. 7 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 7 The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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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 for children’s home: SC066187 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, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 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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