Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 1 SC456911 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 privately owned by a national provider. It provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 31 March 2022. A permanent manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 9 December 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/12/2021 Full Good 10/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/07/2019 Full Good 17/12/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are two children living at the home. Two children have moved into the home and two children have moved on from the home since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has recently completed a level 3 computing diploma at college. Another child, who has recently moved into the home, needs a new education provision. The manager has been proactive and is working with the virtual school to find a suitable education placement. The child has an education advocate. The staff are creatively educating the child from a structured timetable that includes core subjects and educational trips. Staff advocate for children and help them to reach their full educational potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to spend time with their families and friends whenever possible. One child said that he had an amazing trip with staff to visit his mother in America. One child has friends in the community who he spends time with. Children enjoy time with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good relationships with children. Staff are kind and nurturing. One child said that he feels safe, supported and listened to by the staff and manager. Children are helped to make choices and are building trusting relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a range of activities, including day trips, trampolining and football. One child is a member of a wrestling club. He regularly attends shows and the staff and manager go to support him. He was proud to feature in a local newspaper to show other children that anything is possible. Children experience enriching activities and opportunities to try new things. They are helped to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have reward systems which are broken down to individualised and achievable goals. The approach provides a focus on positive reinforcement and encouraging positive behaviour and independence skills. As a result, there has been a notable increase in children’s achievements.

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

The manager has ensured that staff have appropriate safeguarding training and understand safeguarding procedures. Staff confidently speak about whistle-blowing processes. They are well equipped to manage safeguarding incidents and understand how to apply procedures to everyday practice.

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

Allegations are managed promptly, and actions are taken to keep children safe. The manager works well with the local authority designated officer and undertakes internal investigations as required. Actions are taken to ensure that children are safeguarded. Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 4 Behaviour support plans give staff good guidance on proactive strategies and techniques to help children manage difficult emotions. Staff understand how to best support children, and the children are developing safe coping strategies.

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

There have been three occasions when a child has been missing from the home. Staff follow the child and take appropriate actions. The missing-from-home episodes have been for very short lengths of time. The manager spoke with the child and agreed with a social worker that a period of 10 minutes free time will help the child to calm. Since this agreement has been actioned, there has been a notable decrease in missing-from-home episodes. The child feels listened to and understood.

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

There have been some incidents of physical intervention. Staff are suitably trained. Interventions have been appropriate, proportionate and necessary. Staff are debriefed by the manager, and children are helped to reflect following incidents. Consequently, there has been a notable decrease in the use of physical interventions.

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

Some areas of the home have not been well maintained. The back garden gate, which leads to a public road, cannot be closed. It has needed repairing since June 2022. The garden gate being open means that the garden is not private or secure and could allow uninvited people to access to the garden. The manager has not ensured that this has been rectified. The manager arranged for the replacement of the bathroom flooring in March 2022. However, it needs replacing again due to water stains. There are some walls in communal areas that need repainting. The improvements that are needed are planned. These maintenance issues detract from the otherwise homely environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A manager has been in post since March 2022 and is applying to register with Ofsted. She is enrolled on a relevant level 5 diploma course. She has over six years’ experience of working with children at this home. The manager says that she receives regular supervision and support from her managers. Staff speak positively about the manager. They say that she is approachable and supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff undertake a wide range of training, including therapeutic training with a mental health practitioner. Staff are within relevant time frames to achieve a suitable level 3 diploma. The provider is supporting staff to gain this necessary qualification and enrols them promptly on the course. However, staff do not have relevant training in the model of care that is used at the home. Not having this training makes it difficult for staff to have all the relevant knowledge to deliver the children’s care in line with the therapeutic model.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A social worker and a personal adviser speak very highly of the home. A personal adviser said that the manager and staff went above and beyond expectations to support a child to find his next home, as he recently turned 18. Another social worker has been impressed with how well a child has settled into the home. Both Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 5 professionals are happy with the care provided to children and say that communication with staff and the manager is very good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent person reviews the home monthly. The reports are of good quality and include feedback from children, parents and professionals. The independent person makes appropriate recommendations which help to improve the quality of care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager monitors the home effectively and identifies actions for improvement. The responsible individual undertakes a monthly audit at the home. The reports and visits from the responsible individual contribute to good monitoring and oversight that drive improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Agency staff work at the home. Appropriate employment checks are carried out and agency staff have an induction. However, on two occasions, agency staff have been left in vulnerable situations and both resulted in significant incidents. Following the first incident, the manager held a debrief but did not explore all relevant contributing factors to the incident. A second incident occurred, and the responsible individual and manager held a thorough debrief, looked at lessons learned and changed protocols around the use of agency staff. Agency staff are now not left in vulnerable situations. Being responsive and open to learning from incidents helps to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have met one of the two requirements raised at the last inspection. One requirement has not been met, in relation to the environment, and is restated. Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 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

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

In particular, repair the back garden gate, replace the bathroom flooring and ensure that repairs and redecoration are actioned.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 22 October 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate training on the model of care used at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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 children’s home: SC456911 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: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456911 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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