Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Bolton

Inspection report the children’s home: 1156098 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is one of several homes operated by a large private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children with social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties.

p.1

Inspection date: 28 March 2022

Date of last inspection: 15 December 2021

p.1

Inspection date: 28 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 28 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 2

p.1

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Individual risk management plans in place for each child do not provide staff with clear strategies to address all known risks. There has been an increase in the number of episodes of one child going missing, with the associated risks, including child criminal exploitation, not being fully addressed. Staff are not currently able to contact the child if they are missing from the home. Although there is effective communication with strategy agencies, staff are not able to adequately safeguard the child.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All three children have struggled with self-injurious behaviour since the last inspection, although this has reduced over the same period. However, staff have undertaken limited direct work to support each child to understand what is being communicated by these behaviours. The consultation provided by the in-house clinical team in relation to one child is not included in their individual health plans.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been some progress for one child since the last inspection. However, due to increasing concerns, there is now an appropriate plan to review the suitability of their placement. One child has been engaging well in their education, which is positive progress. Another child has not had an educational placement. Staff are struggling to engage the child in formal online learning. The registered manager has not effectively challenged the delay in an educational provision being identified.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child’s emotional needs linked to their difficulties in engaging in education are understood well by staff. The child has now been offered appropriate specialist support. However, the advice provided to staff by the in-house clinical team has not been followed. The child’s plans do not reflect the guidance provided. As a result, the child’s physical health needs are not being appropriately supported.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following the last full inspection, the garage overhead door has not been fixed. The planned gym facilities in the garage have not been provided to children. The window in one child’s bedroom has not been fixed. However, plans were agreed during the inspection for this to be fixed. The kitchen has not yet been refitted.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have been provided with further training and development following the last inspection. However, not all staff have completed training to provide them with the skills to identify and respond to signs of children using illegal substances. This means the staff are not equipped with the knowledge and skills to meet the needs and escalating vulnerabilities of one child living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 3 The registered manager did not complete a learning review following a significant incident when two children left the home overnight through one child’s bedroom window. This is important, as staff did not know the children had left until the following morning. Some of the measures in place to help staff to monitor children in the home are not working, including door alarms and the external CCTV system. The registered manager is unable to access recordings and thus was unable to

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

review the CCTV footage. There is a lack of effective management monitoring and oversight of the impact of the quality of care provided to children.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The responsible individual has identified a new manager for the home. There is a plan for a transition period to ensure an effective handover is provided by the current registered manager prior to them leaving their post.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no allegations made regarding staff. However, there were two significant incidents which were not notified to Ofsted. This reduces oversight from the regulator. Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/09/2018 Full Good 24/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.5

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

p.5

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(a)(b)(c)) 8 May 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.5

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.5

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vii)) 8 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 6 Specifically, ensure the garage door is fully functional and the changes to the garage are made, to enable children to access the planned gym facilities.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.6

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c)) 8 May 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in 8 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 7 accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.6

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)) 8 May 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 8 May 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice

p.7

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.

p.7

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: 1156098 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Maria Lonergan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9