Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Warrington

Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 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 is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was present throughout the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Compliance notices were issued in February 2021 under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. A restriction of accommodation notice was also issued.

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requires improvement to be good

Further to a monitoring visit in March 2021, these compliance notices were not met and were restated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 2 The compliance notices were met in May 2021, although further shortfalls were identified under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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requires improvement to be good

Further to this visit, the provider made the decision to close the home temporarily. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 4

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improvement to be good

Two children are living at this home. However, only one child was present throughout the inspection because the other child was spending time with his family. The home is well presented, comfortable and homely. Children’s bedrooms are individualised to the taste of each child. Throughout the inspection, warm and nurturing relationships were observed between the child and staff. One child has recently moved into the home. He told the inspector that he likes the home and staff team.

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improvement to be good

One child’s educational outcomes need to improve. Staff encourage the child to engage in online education, although this is inconsistent. Staff also talk to the child about attending college to obtain qualifications, although there is limited progress in this area. Ultimately, the child’s educational outcomes have not improved since he moved into the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans are individualised and include actions that staff are working on to help children make progress. Staff try to engage one child in different activities to develop his independence skills in line with his care plan, for example cooking and using public transport. However, the strategies that staff use are not always effective because little progress has been made in these areas. This is particularly important for this child because he is due to move into semi-independent accommodation.

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improvement to be good

Staff spend time talking to the child about things that are important to him. This includes discussions about his family and plans for his future. These discussions support the child to make decisions, covering topics such as where he wants to live, and the people he wants to spend time with.

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improvement to be good

Children’s social workers are positive about staff. They say that staff know the children well and describe good communication with the staff team.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to see their families. For children who live a long distance from their families, staff actively support and encourage regular time with their families. This helps children maintain relationships with people who are important to them.

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improvement to be good

There are presenting behaviours risk management plans in respect of children. These plans are updated and include clear strategies for the staff team to follow to minimise risks and manage behaviour. However, these plans would be enhanced by evaluation from the registered manager to ensure that strategies to reduce risk and support children’s behaviour continue to be relevant. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 5 The registered manager also needs to include actions for staff to follow to ensure that children’s day-to-day care is safe. This is particularly in relation to one child when he is spending time away from the home. When the inspector discussed this with the registered manager, she immediately addressed this.

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improvement to be good

Children’s relationships with staff are a strength. Observations throughout the inspection between one child and staff demonstrate that he is comfortable with staff and that he has staff that he can talk to. The child shared a note with staff that demonstrates that he likes staff and has trusted relationships with them. This is an effective safeguard because the child talks to staff if things are worrying him. The other child has recently moved into the home. He told the inspector that staff have welcomed him and that there are staff that he can talk to.

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improvement to be good

Staff use alternative strategies to manage conflict and positive behaviour is supported. Therefore, there are minimal incidents in the home.

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improvement to be good

The provider needs to ensure that recruitment of staff is consistently robust and in line with regulation to ensure that all staff are safe to work with children.

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good

There is a newly registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in April 2022. This is her first experience as a registered manager. She is supported by a competent deputy manager. The staff are positive about the manager and describe a supportive environment. Staff spoken to describe managers as readily available to provide advice and guidance.

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good

There are gaps in respect of the manager’s overall monitoring and review systems. This does not support the manager to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. For example, the manager needs to review and evaluate actions in one child’s plans to ensure that these are effective and help the child reach his full potential.

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good

Records demonstrate that staff receive frequent supervision. Staff spoken to say that supervision is helpful. However, the manager needs to ensure that she addresses all actions that are agreed with staff in supervision meetings so that staff are consistently developed and so the registered manager can continually evaluate staff practice to improve children’s care.

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good

The manager escalates concerns with other agencies when she has a concern in relation to children’s care. For example, the manager has been proactive and identified alternative education for one child, although this has not started. Therefore, the challenge has not yet had an impact on improving educational outcomes for this child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 6 Staff rosters do not include the actual hours worked by the registered manager. Not only is this a breach in regulation, it does not ensure that accurate records are available if there are any safeguarding concerns.

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good

Staff meetings are informative and there is an appropriate agenda. Meetings are well attended, and records demonstrate that the registered manager provides development opportunities for staff to enhance their practice. Staff spoken to say that this has been helpful. One of the children also attended a team meeting. This demonstrates that staff include children in discussions about their care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 7

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

uses this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to staff ensuring that they consistently review their approach to children’s care so that children can progress. 22 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

the home’s day-day care is arranged and delivered to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to ensuring that children have clear daily plans for staff to follow to ensure that children are safe when they spend time away from the home. 22 August 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

promotes their welfare. 22 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must have robust monitoring and review systems in place to ensure that there is effective oversight of the quality of care being provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to the provider ensuring that they obtain references in line with regulation. 22 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 9 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that rotas include the full names of all staff who work in the home and the actual hours worked. 22 August 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: 2556596 10

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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

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2556596 11 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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