Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 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 is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may have social, emotional or behavioural problems.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in July 2020. The manager registered with Ofsted in November 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/07/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a stable and settled home. Since the last inspection, managers have made improvements to how they introduce new children into the home. Information considered before children move in is now detailed and comprehensive. This ensures that the needs of the children already living in the home are balanced alongside the needs of the new child. Furthermore, before coming to live in the home, children are invited to visit. This provides them with an opportunity to get to know their environment, the other children and the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress with their learning. They attend education on a regular basis. Staff work well with schools to promote the educational needs of the children. This helps to ensure that children achieve better educational outcomes. One child has successfully completed GCSEs and is now attending college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to have active and healthy lifestyles. They have exercise equipment for use in the home. Children enjoy freshly prepared meals and understand the importance of eating a healthy diet. They are registered with local healthcare services, and staff support them to attend appointments when needed. This helps to promote children’s health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between children and staff are positive. This is because staff spend time getting to know the children, and children and staff spend quality and constructive time together. Staff encourage children to take part in a broad range of activities in the home and in the local community. These activities include playing football in the garden with staff, trips to the seaside and attending youth clubs. Attending youth clubs helps the children to make new friends, and this boosts their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to learn independent living skills. Children are given opportunities to develop skills including cooking, budgeting and independent travel. Staff also carry out work to help children to understand the realities of living alone such as problem-solving and managing their anxieties. This helps to improve children’s emotional resilience as they move towards adulthood. As a result, children are well prepared for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to maintain relationships with their families and friends. These arrangements are child focused and staff ensure that visits between children and their families are safe. This means that children maintain and build close relationships with the people who are important to them. This helps children to develop a positive self-image and identity. Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 4

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

Staff understand children’s individual needs, risks and vulnerabilities. This is because children’s behaviour management plans and risk assessments provide staff with clear guidance about known risks to children, potential triggers and strategies to reduce and manage these risks. The use of these plans helps to protect children from harm.

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

Staff complete targeted work with children to help the children to learn how to keep themselves safe. As a result, incidents of children going missing from the home, substance misuse and self-harm have significantly reduced. This means that children become increasingly safer because of the actions that staff take to support and protect them.

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

Staff support children to learn acceptable behaviour. Children receive praise for positive behaviour. Positive comments and feedback are documented for all to see. This approach to behaviour management has contributed to an overall reduction in the level of incidents in the home. This has led to a calmer atmosphere in the home and there has been no use of physical restraint since the last inspection.

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

Recruitment processes are effective, with thorough induction and safeguarding training provided. The good application of safe recruitment guidelines ensures the selection of both appropriate and suitable staff. This means that children only work with staff who are deemed safe to care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and is supported in her role by a team of both experienced and new staff who are committed to improving outcomes for children. The manager has good insight into the service’s strengths and developmental needs, and has fully met the requirements and one recommendation made at the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported in their role and receive regular supervision. These supervision sessions are reflective, child-centred and encourage staff to explore strategies to improve their practice. In addition, staff benefit from monthly team meetings which are used as a learning forum. This learning ensures that children receive well-informed, consistent and competent care that meets their needs. This approach also supports children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to care for children effectively. Staff benefit from a wide range of training. This includes training specific to the needs of the children living in the home. This ensures that children are supported by staff who are equipped to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses feedback from external scrutiny effectively. The independent person visits the home once a month. They produce detailed reports that provide a good overview of staff practice, and include recommendations for any areas that Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 5 require improvement. The manager ensures that the recommendations are addressed. This further improves the quality of care provided to children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has internal monitoring systems in place. However, on occasion, they are not effective. The use of alarms on children’s bedroom doors has not been reviewed. This does not provide reassurance that the equipment is been used purposefully and that it is necessary to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the children’s records are well documented. However, there were some key entries that did not show their author. This inconsistency in the recording does not promote accurate record-keeping. Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 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

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d)) 13 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 13 June 2022

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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: 2597736 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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Inspector

Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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