Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457500 1 SC457500 Registered provider: Cambian Child Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to six children with moderate learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced and has been registered since 2015.

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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

Date of last inspection: 25 January 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC457500 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/11/2021 Full Inadequate 10/12/2019 Full Good 29/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC457500 3

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improvement to be good

The care that children receive requires improvement to be good. Their health and safety is not always prioritised. Several areas of the home have not been made safe following hazards being identified.

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improvement to be good

The children, who have complex needs, live in a large detached house. They enjoy having a choice of rooms to relax in and undertake activities. One room has recently been developed into a calming area. This is to meet the children’s sensory needs. The room now has a tent and soft furnishings. There are pictorial prompts for children to regulate their emotional responses. However, the home looks institutional in places. For example, there are soap dispensers in children’s bathrooms. There are areas of damage that have not been repaired. Children have raised concerns that plaster in their bedrooms is coming away from the wall in places.

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improvement to be good

Managers have not fully considered all the healthcare needs of children before they moved into the home. When children require a specialist environment, managers have not sought advice from an appropriate external health professional. Additionally, leaders and managers have not provided the most suitable flooring in one child’s bedroom. This has meant the child has slept in a poor environment.

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improvement to be good

Children, even those who find school particularly challenging, are making progress with their education. When children are out of formal education, staff provide alternative activities. Children are encouraged to learn important independent living skills to prepare them for the future.

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improvement to be good

Those children who cannot read or struggle to express themselves receive the help and support they need. Staff use a variety of pictorial methods to seek children’s views. This means that all the children, regardless of their abilities, can make their needs known.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not acted quickly enough following significant incidents to make the home’s environment safe. Children with more challenging behaviour have placed themselves at risk. Although children’s risk assessments are changed following incidents, action from staff and managers has not been sufficiently robust to prevent incidents.

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improvement to be good

Health and safety processes are not yet effective. They have not identified all hazards to children. These hazards include raised and sharp flooring tiles and a damaged metal shed outside. Fire safety checks and the reporting processes for Inspection report for children’s home: SC457500 4 defects need strengthening. When potential hazards are identified, these are not promptly responded to.

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improvement to be good

Children have been allowed to purchase electronic games and films that are not appropriate to their age and development. New staff have not been made aware of the risks of this. Additionally, daily bedroom checks have not been effective in identifying inappropriate items.

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improvement to be good

Managers make sure that when there are concerns over staff care practice and behaviour there is a thorough investigation. This helps to ensure that children receive care from staff who are safe and who receive a good level of supervision from the manager.

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improvement to be good

This home has a safe and effective medication administration process. Staff are confident in the process of both administration and producing clear and accurate records. This means that this area of children’s health and well-being is met by trained and competent staff.

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good

There is an experienced and qualified manager. The senior team is still relatively new and has yet to become established. However, the staff team is becoming more stable. There have been fewer changes to staffing and this means children receive more consistent care from staff they know.

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good

When new risks become known, leaders and managers have not ensured that changes to the home are undertaken quickly enough. Significant time elapses before any action is taken. This has the potential to increase children’s vulnerabilities.

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good

Leaders and managers have agreed to accommodate children when all their care needs cannot be fully met. This specifically relates to risks associated with the location of the home and the more specific environmental factors that may affect the health of children.

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good

Managers are strong and effective advocates for children. When children require better and more appropriate health and education provision, managers are confident to challenge external agencies and professionals. Managers have ensured that most children have the right services when they need them.

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good

Staff receive regular and effective supervision with a manager or a senior member of staff. Team meetings are regular. Together, staff are provided with effective opportunities for personal and professional support and development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457500 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

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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the perimeter fencing not being adequate to ensure the safety of children. 24 June 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager’s overview of the home not being effective in identifying hazards and areas for improvement. 29 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; 29 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC457500 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to children’s environmental healthcare needs not being met.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislation (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. This relates to areas of the home being in a poor state of repair and that not all areas are homely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC457500 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Child Care 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

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC457500 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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