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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1159397 1 Cambian Childcare Limited

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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. Care is provided for up to three children aged between 11 and 18 years. The home provides a therapeutic programme for children who have experienced, or are at risk of, sexual exploitation. At the time of this monitoring visit, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in March 2016. There has been no registered manager in post since June 2021. The appointed manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the home, and they have recently applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

During this visit, the inspector was aware that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered (where appropriate) alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 4 and 5 May 2022, because there were significant shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home and in the safety and protection of children. Consequently, despite some progress for some children, their overall experiences were inadequate. As a result of this failure, children’s safety was compromised. Ofsted issued two compliance notices under regulations 12 and 13.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress and actions taken to meet the compliance notices. This monitoring visit included the review of documents and discussions with the manager, the responsible individual, staff and the child living in this home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1159397 2 The inspector concluded from this monitoring visit that one step set in the compliance notice with regard to regulation 12 was not met.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s risk assessments do not provide staff with adequate guidance around children’s use of technological devices and access to social media. Leaders and managers have not taken effective action to ensure that staff are competent and confident around monitoring children’s use of social media. The lack of information and guidance for staff places children at risk of serious harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not followed a child’s safety plan. A significant incident has occurred during this monitoring period, where a child has been harmed while out in the community. Staff failed to complete a welfare call to the child, and this reduced staff’s contact and oversight of the child when they were away from the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has monitoring systems in place to ensure that she is aware of any significant incidents. When incidents occur, the manager has informed all relevant agencies to ensure that children get the necessary support and that safeguarding concerns are investigated.

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This monitoring visit

Internal and external monitoring reports are consistently undertaken at the home, and these are sent to Ofsted. However, these reports do not support practice developments because they do not highlight the shortfalls that affect children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff, including the manager, now receive practice guidance to improve their understanding around their roles and responsibilities, and how these link to the protection and welfare of children. This includes, but is not restricted to, the principles around the management of allegations and whistle-blowing. There is an increase in management presence during the evening, and this provides an opportunity for managers to observe staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have completed training to develop their understanding of childhood trauma and the impact of child sexual exploitation on children. In addition, staff have completed training to equip them to deliver care that reflects the therapeutic parenting approach as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. This improves practice in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff retention and recruitment are ongoing areas for development. The manager, with the responsible individual, has set staffing expectations for this home. These expectations include ensuring that senior staff are working on each shift to maintain acceptable practice standards. No new staff have been appointed and therefore recruitment records have not been reviewed as part of this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, no child has moved into or out of this home. The manager has ensured that the local authority where the home is located has an accurate record about children that live in the home. The manager has also ensured that children’s case files and documents are adequately archived. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1159397 3 Children live in a home that is free from hazards. The manager’s improved oversight of the maintenance of the home means the home is kept to a good standard. Children identify this as their home and welcome the improvements.

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This monitoring visit

The remaining three requirements and one recommendation issued in May 2022 have not been reviewed at this visit and are repeated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1159397 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/05/2022 Full Inadequate 18/11/2021 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/09/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1159397 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 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 14 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

Any person who carries on or manages an establishment or agency of any description without being registered under this 4 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1159397 6 Part in respect of it (as an establishment or, as the case may be, agency of that description) shall be guilty of an offence. (Section 11 (1) Care Standards Act 2000)

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(b)) 12 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)) 12 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice. They must ensure that the recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that their six-monthly regulation 45 review enables them to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1159397 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

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1159397 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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