Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 1 SC456729 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have experienced childhood trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is appropriately qualified and has been registered with Ofsted since November 2019 and manages another of the company’s homes.

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Inspection date: 24 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 24 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is led by a suitably experience and qualified registered manager and deputy manager. They work collaboratively with staff, families and professionals to improve outcomes for children in their care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have built good relationships with staff. One child said they were happy living in the home and spoke encouragingly about staff. The child said, ‘All the staff are brilliant. They are really nice, and I get on with all of them.’ The rapport between children and staff adds to a relaxed and homely atmosphere.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are encouraged to decorate their rooms as they wish, and daily room checks are undertaken so that clean and tidy rooms are rewarded with positive incentives. Physical intervention is only used when it is proportionate and necessary to do so. There is suitable management oversight of such incidents and children are given opportunities to reflect on their behaviour with staff in one-to-one sessions. Other measures of behaviour management are used infrequently, and positive rewards are used significantly more than negative sanctions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff know what to do when children go missing from care. However, incidents at this home are infrequent. Staff are also aware of their responsibilities should they encounter a safeguarding concern, which includes reporting this to appropriate people both within and outside the organisation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, three children have left and two have moved into the home. The two children have embraced education since living at the home. Both have attendance more than 90% and are making progress from their starting points.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff understand the importance of maintaining relationships for children. Their friends are encouraged to visit them at home. Staff provide lifts for children so they can attend groups and see their friends. Staff also travel long distances to ensure that children see their families and loved ones. Young people benefit from this approach.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child who has moved out of the home had a planned transition into semi- independent living. However, two children had unplanned endings to their placements, which ended after they displayed difficult and challenging behaviours. Unplanned endings can be detrimental towards the well-being of children. The manager has learned from this experience and has put systems in place to reduce the chances of unplanned endings reoccurring in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 3 There has been more damage to the home since the full inspection. This has been addressed and there have been significant improvements made to the home. The home has been improved to a high standard. Despite these improvements, two fire doors in communal areas were found to be propped open with door stops. When the stops were removed, both doors were then found not to close properly. Fire doors that do not close properly pose a risk to children and staff alike.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Several staff have left since the last inspection and staff have been redeployed to the home from within the organisation. One new member of staff has been employed to work with the children. This staff member has begun their induction and is receiving supervisions in line with company policy. However, a small shortfall was identified in their recruitment file. Although gaps in employment were explored during the interview process, two inaccuracies were noted in the recording of dates. Failure to accurately record information leaves an incomplete document that is not a true reflection of what occurred.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records in the home have been generally well maintained since the last inspection. However, some records had been accidentally archived at head office prior to this inspection. The manager has made changes to the storage of records to prevent this happening again.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The requirements from the previous inspection have been met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/04/2019 Full Inadequate 02/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 5

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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 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.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to young people having a positive experience moving on from the home. 31 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) 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)) 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 6 In particular, ensure that all of the fire doors close fully and are never propped open.

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  Regulations 35-39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC456729 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, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Ricky D’Arcy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 8 regulates and inspects 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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