Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Torbay

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457567 1 SC457567 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 registered to provide residential care and accommodation for one child. It is owned and operated by a national provider of children’s services. The home looks after children who may display complex emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 1 June 2022.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC457567 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/07/2021 Full Good 19/06/2019 Full Good 21/01/2019 Full Outstanding 02/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC457567 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Internally, the home is well decorated and looks like a family home. The child’s artwork and photos are displayed in communal areas and their bedroom is personalised to their taste. The gardens are unkempt and require maintenance but the home fits well in the residential development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home have been well managed. The registered manager makes full enquiries to help the staff team understand the needs of the child. The manager assesses the skills of the team so that they can provide safe care. Skilled introductions with the child take place so that their questions are addressed and their worries reduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved on since the last inspection. These moves occurred as the team recognised that it was not able to safely manage high-risk behaviours. The manager planned and carefully supported the children to move to provisions that were better able to respond to their needs and keep them safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home does not attend formal education. The registered manager has worked with education services to ensure that the child has an appropriate school placement available in the autumn term. Staff complete interesting activities with the child as part of informal education during the week.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide good opportunities for children to spend time in their community and in nature, despite them being subject to court orders that deprive them of their liberty. Staff find creative and fun activities that support children’s emotional and physical well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently living at the home did not want to share their views with the inspector. The inspector saw friendly and supportive exchanges between staff and the child during the inspection. A parent told the inspector that their child had told them that they were being well cared for at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s plans are detailed documents that help the team to know the child’s needs. They provide clear strategies for staff to help them respond to the child in the most appropriate way. However, these documents are not consistently signed by staff to demonstrate that they have read and understood them.

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

The home has detailed risk assessments that provide staff with robust strategies to respond to high-risk behaviours. Incidents of self-harm are managed well. Staff are fully trained to be able to act quickly and confidently to safeguard children. Records are detailed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457567 4 Staff are well trained in the use of therapeutic responses. This helps build trusting relationships between the child and adults. Praise and humour are used to help the child to make sense of their behaviours and to make healthy choices.

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

Staff have good knowledge of safeguarding. They know what to do to keep children safe. They fully understand whistle-blowing procedures and who to inform should a child be at risk of harm.

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

When children go missing from home, staff respond consistently and quickly. They follow clear guidance and policy. They continue to look for children until they are found. Staff contact relevant external agencies when additional support is required. Recordings of incidents are detailed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been significant changes of managers and staff since the last inspection. However, the manager is now registered with Ofsted and a more stable staff team has been recruited. There are likely to be some further minor changes of staff, but leaders and managers have used staff from sister homes to fill gaps rather than agency workers. This provides stability for the child and team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is well respected by the team. Staff told the inspector that they feel supported by managers. Leaders and managers have high expectations for children and this underpins practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work closely with external professionals to create a coordinated care plan for the child. One local authority social worker reported that there has been a significant improvement in communication from the home. They said that the manager is ‘good at getting in touch and keeping me informed’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive timely supervision. This is reflective and detailed. However, records are not always signed. Supervision is used to identify training needs. Staff are well trained. They have good opportunities to access specialist courses that support them to meet the child’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has safe recruitment procedures. Concerns raised through the employment process are investigated thoroughly so that only appropriate adults work at the home. Risk assessments are used to mitigate any minor issues that arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is generally good oversight of children’s plans, however, the registered manager has not consistently reflected on lessons learned and fed back to the team on how to improve practice. As this is a developing team there have been missed opportunities to strengthen staff’s skill and knowledge. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457567 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet children’s needs. The home should be a homely, domestic environment. This relates to ensuring that outdoor spaces are well maintained. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children’s records are kept up to date and are signed and dated by the author of each record. This relates to all staff signing children’s plans and risk assessments. Furthermore, children’s plans should be reviewed swiftly after significant events. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should be proactive in implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. This relates specifically to consistently reviewing incidents and reflecting to the team on good practice and lessons learned. (‘Guide

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Recommendations

to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: SC457567 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: Victoria Elworthy

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Inspector

Penelope Kutz, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC457567 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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