Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children's home: 2624657 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

This home provides care for one child who may have emotional and social difficulties. It is run by a large national provider of children’s homes.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since it was registered on 10 March 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2624657 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home: 2624657 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys positive experiences living at this comfortable and pleasant home. The child has a sense of belonging. Staff know the child well and are committed to helping the child achieve their ambitions. Staff provide the child with good-quality care that is meeting the child’s individual needs and helping the child to make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have the skills to build healthy relationships with the child. The child speaks positively about staff and said that they get on well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to take part in activities that the child enjoys. They make sure that the child can develop their interests and talents in basketball and boxing. Going to the gym and playing basketball is helping the child to make friends in the local area. This increases the child’s self-esteem and social skills and improves their emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and support the child to take part in education. The child is motivated to learn and engages in educational activities. The child is keen to return to school and is frustrated about how long this is taking to be arranged. The manager works closely with the local authority to support the child’s education and has challenged the delay in finding the child a suitable school to meet their needs. However, due to the lack of progress, the manager should consider escalating their concerns with the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and support the child to express their views and be involved in devising their plans and making decisions about their life. The manager and staff support the child to raise concerns about their plans and arrangements for their care with the placing authority. However, the child does not have an independent advocate to advise them on their rights and to make sure that their views are heard and taken seriously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand how to support the child to manage their health needs and allergies. Staff are aware of the potential risks to the child’s health and take steps to reduce the risk of harm. For example, staff make sure that visitors do not bring nuts into the home, due to the child’s allergies. They also understand and follow the child’s dietary needs. They check with the child if it is safe for them to have the ingredients in food being prepared. Staff know what they must do if the child has an allergic reaction. The arrangements for managing medication are safe and staff support the child to manage their own health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and meet the child’s religious and cultural needs. Children have what they need to make sure that they can follow their faith. Staff consult with the child on the best ways to support their identity, faith and culture. Inspection report for children's home: 2624657 4

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

The child feels safe and is protected from harm by the staff. The child feels able to talk to staff about their worries, and that their concerns are taken seriously.

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

The manager and staff have a strong safeguarding culture. The child is listened to, respected and involved in decisions about their care. Staff have the skills to identify the signs that the child may be at risk and know what to do if they are concerned about the child’s safety. Staff understand and follow safeguarding procedures and the plans for keeping children safe.

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

All the children who have lived in the home have become increasingly safer over time. While living at the home, children have not gone missing and have made positive choices not to get involved in high-risk situations. Staff followed court- directed conditions for one child consistently and significantly reduced the risk to the child from aggression and criminal exploitation.

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

Staff promote and reward the child’s positive behaviour. Staff have the skills and confidence to know how to help the child when they are upset and they deal with problems together.

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

Staff have the understanding and skills to help the child learn how to make friends and understand what makes a healthy relationship. Staff are supporting the child to develop an understanding of other people’s feelings and think about the impact of their actions.

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

The manager uses thorough staff recruitment procedures that minimise risks to children, and makes sure that staff have the personal qualities, values and skills required to work with vulnerable children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very experienced and suitably qualified. She is well organised and an effective leader. She has high expectations for the standards of care that the child receives. She aspires for the child to be safe, happy and reach their full potential. This ethos and culture are shared by the capable and enthusiastic staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child is cared for by staff with the experience and skills to safeguard and promote their needs. The staffing arrangements ensure that there are always enough staff available to manage any unexpected staff absences and mitigate the impact of the pandemic. The manager always makes sure that the child receives continuity of care from staff that they know and who know how to care for them safely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home and are positive about the support they receive from the manager and their colleagues. New and inexperienced staff receive the Inspection report for children's home: 2624657 5 right support and guidance to help them understand their responsibilities and build their confidence and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive relevant and suitable training that provides them with the essential skills and knowledge for meeting the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is focused on the child and their needs. However, supervision records do not show that staff are getting opportunities to reflect critically on their work with the child to improve their skills and learning and the quality of care they provide.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have a clear understanding of children’s plans and the progress they are making. Managers regularly review and monitor the quality of the care provided. This allows the manager to identify strengths of the home and make plans for areas of improvement. For example, the manager is taking steps to make sure that staff have the required professional qualifications. Inspection report for children's home: 2624657 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should challenge the placing authority when children are not receiving the support and services that they require to meet their education needs. Also, the registered person should make sure that children have the use of an independent advocate to help them express their wishes and feelings about the support they are receiving. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)  The registered person should ensure that all staff receive supervision which allows them to reflect critically on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2624657 7

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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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Inspectors

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Rachael Crook, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2624657 8 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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