Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 1 SC456850 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 children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 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 29 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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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

Date of last inspection: 31 October 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 21/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is one child living at the home. The child is making good progress and has established positive relationships with a committed staff team. The staff provide individualised support to the child which enhances her well-being and future opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of the child’s education. The child, who had been out of education for an extended period, was able to achieve some success in her GCSEs. The staff advocated for her and worked effectively with the Virtual Head to support a gradual and sensitively supported return. The child now accesses a college course in health and social care and completes additional training courses in her free time. From the child’s individual starting point, this is a significant achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s views are central to the operation of the home. The child has been supported to write a person-centred placement plan capturing her preferences. The child can share her thoughts and feelings through reflective house meetings. These inclusive approaches support her to feel empowered, make informed choices about her care and ensure that her rights are respected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to make good progress with her life skills. The child has learned a range of valuable independence skills that include using public transport, cooking, cleaning and managing her finances. Staff have ensured that practical targets have been achievable in line with her milestones. As a result, she has improved her confidence and self-determination and is more prepared for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support a range of activities that reflect the child’s interests, including an outing to a theme park, shopping trips and a sponsored walk for a local charity. The staff worked with the child to build towards her having a friend stay overnight at the home. These opportunities have enabled her to expand her social network and the breadth of her experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work very well with the child’s family and recognise that this is critical to supporting the child to work towards independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well appointed. The child benefits from a personalised bedroom in line with her preferences and is supported to care for her own pet. However, the kitchen and bathroom are showing signs of wear which detract from what is otherwise a nurturing and welcoming home.

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

Staff understand the risks for the child and actively help to manage them. Well- planned and effective one-to-one sessions cover important and emerging topics, including community risks, managing healthy relationships and understanding the Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 4 impact of substance misuse. This enhances the child’s knowledge of her personal safety.

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

The staff follow the guidance in the child’s risk management plan to good effect and consequently, risk-taking behaviours have been minimised. The staff set clear boundaries and use individual incentive programmes to reinforce positive behaviours. Responsive and flexible agreements for free time in the community for the child further support the range of her experiences and improve her self-esteem.

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

There are clear missing-from-home protocols for the child. When incidents occur, the staff work effectively with the wider network of professionals to ensure that the child returns safely. Proactive support from the staff and their established relationships with the child have meant that these incidents have reduced.

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

The essential fire safety measures are not good enough. Two doors were found to be propped open and one door did not close securely. The practice issue of propping open doors had been identified as a shortfall in a fire risk assessment in September 2021. Despite this, the issue had not been sufficiently addressed by the management team. During the inspection, the manager made immediate plans to have the doors repaired as this poses a risk to children and staff in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced and qualified manager is supported by a well-established deputy manager. Collectively, they instil a culture of person-centred values and high aspiration for the child, which is reflected by the staff and evident throughout the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child is supported by a consistent staff team. Staff morale is high and staff retention is strong. This has provided stability and good continuity of care throughout the wider difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and management team have sustained effective relationships with the child’s family and wider network of professionals, who all gave the inspector positive feedback about the quality of care and good levels of communication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff take advantage of a wide range of training courses to equip them with the skills to meet the individual needs of the child. A large proportion of staff have the required level 3 qualification. However, one staff member who should have achieved this has yet to do so within the regulatory timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Well-attended and regular staff meetings ensure that effective communication and consistent support are embedded. The staff benefit from constructive supervisions. However, these mediums do not always provide staff with sufficient opportunity to reflect on the safeguarding culture at the home. Consequently, the staff do not receive the support they should have to consolidate and refresh their skills and awareness in good safeguarding practices. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 5 Managerial monitoring activities are generally effective. The manager undertakes a detailed internal review of the quality of care. However, objectives identified for improvement are not specific or measurable. This reduces the capacity of the management team to reflect on and secure continuous improvement in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Systems for notifying Ofsted are usually robust. However, one serious incident that was highlighted during the inspection was not notified. As a result, Ofsted’s capacity to monitor safeguarding arrangements has been reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure the effective monitoring and maintenance of fire doors. 8 April 2022

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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. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 31 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should provide a nurturing, homely and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. In particular, ensure that the kitchen and bathrooms are maintained to a consistently good standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff’s skills and knowledge in good safeguarding practice are consolidated through supervision and staff meeting activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  The registered person should ensure that incidents where a child has been missing for a considerable time are notified under regulation 40. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.11)  The registered person should ensure that the internal quality of care review

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Recommendations

clearly identifies actions required and how those actions will be addressed to secure continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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: SC456850 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, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 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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