Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in North Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457435 1 SC457435 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 and manages this children’s home. The home provides care for up to two children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties. One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2021.

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Inspection date: 29 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 29 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC457435 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 interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children make progress at the home. They attend education and plan for the future. Children are consulted about where they want to live when they leave the home, and what they would like to study as they move towards more independence and adulthood. Staff are sensitive to children’s uncertainty over aspects of future plans. They support children to explore options and make informed decisions. This means children have control over their lives and gain independence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

To prepare children to move on from the home, staff help them gain skills for everyday life. Children learn to manage money and to shop and cook for themselves. They also plan what social support they need. This gives children confidence to keep themselves well and safe when they are living independently.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children seek out the company of familiar and long-established care staff. This reflects the positive and valued relationships that they have. These trusted relationships also contribute to children feeling settled and safe. As a result, there have been no incidents of children going missing from the home since the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have poorer relationships with some newer staff. As staff often work on a one-to-one basis, this means children are sometimes supported by staff who they do not get along with. This results in children’s reduced willingness to share information or anxieties. Although efforts have been made to build more positive relationships, these have not yet been wholly effective.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no significant incidents since the last inspection and no use of physical restraint. Nevertheless, staff are trained in the use of this measure of control, and children’s plans are clear about when and if restraint can be used. This helps staff to know how to respond consistently when children are in crisis.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All complaints are responded to in a timely way. Managers attempt to gain a thorough understanding of the context of any concerns before drawing conclusions. Managers provide feedback on whether the complaint is upheld or not. This approach promotes safer care for children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are mechanisms in place to promote children’s safety online. Staff are appropriately cautious and curious with regard to children’s online friendships. Children have not developed many peer relationships and this means that they take part in few activities with people their own age. Despite this, feedback from other Inspection report children’s home: SC457435 3 professionals says that the children are growing in confidence around their peers, and that their behavioural changes reflect this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has now recruited a number of new care staff. However, there are still vacancies at a senior level. This has an impact on the support available for the manager. Limited staffing has not regularly impacted on children. Nevertheless, some staff are not drivers and this sometimes means that certain activities cannot take place. This means opportunities for children are reduced, which has led to them experiencing upset or disappointment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have personalised the home, including their bedrooms, and there is currently an ongoing refurbishment programme. However, the cleanliness of some areas could be improved, and a patched carpet in one child’s bedroom does not give an impression of placing value on the child’s personal space.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The fire alarm system is maintained and risk assessed but does not align with the relevant document in respect of raising the alarm. Additionally, firefighting equipment is kept in a locked room that is not quickly accessible. This does not provide assurance that measures to respond to fire are the most effective.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is registered with Ofsted and provides stability and direction for the staff team. She has taken steps to address the requirements raised at the last inspection with regard to revising children’s missing-from-care plans to reflect staffing levels and ensuring that children are better supported to engage in education. Inspection report children’s home: SC457435 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 31/07/2019 Full Good 29/01/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC457435 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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 each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are helped to resolve difficulties in their relationships with others, including their relationships with staff. 31 May 2022

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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; and 31 May 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC457435 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(f)(h))

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that arrangements to respond to a fire are as effective they can be. 31 May 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home meets children’s basic day-to- day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. Doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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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 children’s home: SC457435 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Susan Fitzsimmons

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Inspector

Rachel Ruth, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC457435 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 children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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