Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2534827 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 provides care for up to four children aged between 11 and 18 with complex needs. It is one of a group of homes run by a large independent provider. The organisation has its own school off site which the children attend.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 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 outstanding

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2534827 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/08/2021 Full Good 26/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2534827 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home is filled with love and laughter. Staff and children show genuine warmth towards each other. Children said that it is like living in a big family. The children have developed excellent, trusting relationships with dynamic, motivated staff who nurture the children and provide emotional warmth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The highly effective staff work cohesively to help children to confront uncomfortable past traumas. Children engage with therapeutic support. Staff work closely with the clinical team to ensure that the children have positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education attendance and progress from their starting points are excellent. Children have 100% attendance. The school’s headteacher said that children are on time and ready to learn because of the support that they receive from staff. A child said that staff help her with her homework and revising for her exams.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have excellent understanding of their own health needs and the importance of being healthy and eating a well-balanced diet. Children have attended all their routine health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Comprehensive information and detailed placement plans guide the staff’s work with children in all aspects of their lives. Children are aware of the content of their placement plans. This helps them to understand their targets and goals and how they can achieve these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff make personalised photo albums with individual messages and memory boxes of the children’s time at the home. These keepsakes are given to children when they leave. They provide children with an excellent record of positive memories and relationships during their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to developing children’s independence skills. Children complete a chores planner during their regular meetings. Children do daily chores, and this has given them great pride in their home. One child is budgeting for and cooking her own meals, which she said she is enjoying.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Social workers said that children are doing exceptionally well since living at the home. They said that staff understand children’s very individual past traumas and current needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2534827 4

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outstanding

Staff provide a stable and safe environment. The consistent staff team ensures that children feel safe, loved and secure. The staff have excellent knowledge of safeguarding these very vulnerable children and reporting concerns. All team leaders have level 5 safeguarding training.

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outstanding

The children have previously experienced a high level of trauma and risky behaviours. Staff use high-quality risk assessments that detail strategies to reduce risk. Children are involved, when appropriate, to review these with staff. This helps children to understand risks and how, with staff, they can work towards recognising and reducing future risks.

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outstanding

Since moving to the home, children’s incidents of going missing are rare. Staff are highly skilled at helping children talk about their thoughts and feelings. The staff are extremely vigilant. Individual missing-from-care risk assessments guide staff’s actions should an incident occur.

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outstanding

Staff have well-developed knowledge about the risks that children face and their vulnerabilities. Behaviour plans are of the highest quality. For the first three months of a child living at the home, these plans are reviewed monthly by the clinical team. The staff undertake focused key-work sessions with children to help them understand risks and how they can work with staff to recognise and reduce these.

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outstanding

Staff, along with the clinical team, complete a safety community action plan to support children to have some free time. This is particularly important for children who are vulnerable when out in the community.

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outstanding

Staff work exceptionally well with children to help them understand exploitation and its associated risks. Children have strong and trusting relationships with staff. Children have been able to discuss and understand their past experiences. This has helped them to understand what healthy relationships are and how they can experience these.

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outstanding

Children said that they feel safe living at the home because there are always staff who they can talk to. Children said that the staff are fun, and that they enjoy spending time with them. These strong and secure relationships mean that children do not want to go missing from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to working with the children; she is inspirational and strives for continuous improvement. She clearly wants the best possible outcomes for children. This enthusiasm is mirrored by the staff team and is evident throughout the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2534827 5 The manager has developed a highly positive ethos and culture. She supports the staff to speak openly and honestly with the children. Children said that the manager does what she says she will, and they trust her and the staff. Together, the staff provide a safe, nurturing environment, which is critical for children to feel safe, and valued and to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular staff meetings support the staff to work consistently with the children. The manager uses these meetings to discuss staff practice and responsibilities. The manager is very clear about her expectations of the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Social workers said that communication with the manager is excellent and that the relationships she has built with children’s families have supported effective progress in children’s family relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are consulted during regular house meetings. Staff inform children of actions from previous meetings and the manager responds to children’s wishes and requests. Children have been involved in choosing new colours and furnishings for the home and have personalised their own bedrooms. This gives them a sense of belonging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are clearly at the centre of practice at this home. Exceptional practice ensures that the children consistently progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met the requirement and recommendation set at the last 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: 2534827 6

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dennise Springett

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2534827 7 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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