Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 1 SC436372 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

The home is privately owned. It provides care for up to six children who have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a manager who was registered in April 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: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/07/2018 Full Good 10/04/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive a good standard of care which continues to improve over time. It is improving because the manager and the staff team are providing a family model of care based on mutual respect and trust. Staff invest in their children and have high aspirations for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that the manager has found the right staff for the home. The staff team is overtly nurturing in its approach. Children value this and respond in a positive manner. Children who struggle with school because of social anxiety are gently encouraged by staff to attend education. Staff are empathetic in their approach. This encourages children to make delicate steps back into education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are involved in making choices about their lives. They are given the opportunity and support, by staff, to develop independent living skills combined with social skills. This is achieved in a structured manner, incrementally changing with the child’s age and as their confidence and abilities grow.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children are planning a glamping holiday. For some, this may be their first experience of a holiday with others that they live with. This means children get the chance to have new experiences, have fun and build on their confidence, social skills and improving relationships with others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff say that they love their work. They say that the manager opens new opportunities for children that they would never have previously experienced. For example, children have been to London for the first time and are planning a holiday. The positive impact is considerable for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children that struggle with their emotional health are encouraged to access the specialist healthcare they need very quickly. Additionally, there is good information- sharing between agencies. More informally, staff provide resources to children and practical strategies to help reduce children’s anxieties. External professional agencies have commented that children’s mental health improves as a result of them living at this home, because of the help and support they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they want to go to school. However, some children have had to wait a considerable amount of time to secure a school place. Although managers have advocated on children’s behalf, progress has not been made quickly enough. This delay means that children have less structure in their day. They fall further behind in their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a large house, with substantial outside areas. They have their own bedrooms and plenty of communal space. They have access to plenty of games and activities both inside and outside of the home. Further development to the home is planned, including the addition of a sensory room. However, several areas of the Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 4 home need improvement. There is damp in one bathroom, and there is a loose and worn carpet in a child’s bedroom.

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

Managers ensure that the health and safety of the children, staff and the building is a priority. Regular health and safety audits are effective in identifying any shortfalls. All children get to experience regular fire drills, so they know what to do in an emergency. Because of this, children are safer.

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

Managers ensure that the location risk assessment is regularly reviewed. This incorporates children’s specific risk factors and vulnerabilities. Managers also ensure that the assessment includes information from other agencies, including the police. The manager has also developed effective relationships with the community policing team.

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

Children rarely go missing from care. When they do, staff are quick to search for them. Staff communicate effectively with the police and other safeguarding agencies. This ensures that children are more likely to be found safe and well. When children return to the home, staff are warm and welcoming.

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

Some staff have failed to follow whistleblowing procedures on one occasion. This led to a delay in ensuring allegations against staff were reviewed and investigated in a timely manner. When managers became aware of concerns, they ensured that safeguarding procedures were followed. This included referrals to the relevant external safeguarding agencies. The provider has taken robust action to ensure that staff are fully aware of their responsibilities to raise any concerns they have over colleagues.

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

When children take medication for their physical or emotional health, staff follow a clear and well-organised procedure. Effective and regular monitoring by a manager minimises the likelihood of errors or mistakes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is registered and undertaking the required qualification in leadership and management. The manager has a good grasp on what needs to improve. They have already taken great strides in several areas. However, some challenges persist, such as maintaining a full staff team. The team has been through changes, but it remains resilient and motivated to provide consistently good care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are reflective and keen to improve the care they provide. They are working closely with other homes, in the organisation, to share leadership and management ideas and approaches. For example, complaints made by children and the investigations are part of a peer review. This is good practice, as patterns and trends can be identified and lead to changes in practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 5 Staff supervisions and team meetings have not regularly taken place. When they do, these are not always recorded in a timely manner. Staff report that they feel supported, love their work with the children and remain optimistic. Staffing levels have not gone below the assessed level of care for any children. Agency staff, when used, are staff that the children know well. This helps to maintain consistency of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they love working at this home. They are extremely committed and focused on providing a good quality of care to children. They are supported in this goal by having access to a wide variety of training courses and developmental opportunities. Managers support the professional development of staff by encouraging them to take on more senior roles. These development opportunities mean that a core group of staff has worked at this home for a while and see a developmental pathway. Ultimately, children benefit from a well-trained and motivated team. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 6

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff understanding their roles and responsibilities to raise any concerns they may have about the conduct of colleagues. 23 September

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii)(x)) 23 September Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 7 This relates to delays for children in accessing formal education.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children. Homes 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. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should monitor and review the patterns and trends of turnover of staff, whether agency or directly employed, and be able understand and, where possible, address any negative trends. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 10.19)

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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: SC436372 8

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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

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 9 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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