Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Leeds

Inspection report children’s home: SC428895 1 SC428895 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 owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties. Children can live in the home for a short-, medium- or long-term period.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is duel registered with Ofsted. She registered as the manager of this home in December 2020.

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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: SC428895 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/04/2021 Full Good 19/02/2020 Full Good 28/08/2018 Full Good 21/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC428895 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel cared for and cared about. The staff consistently put the children first, which reinforces the children’s sense of security and their trust of staff in this home. One child said, ‘The staff help me when I’m ill or injured; they do not ignore my feelings or pain, and when I just want to cry, I do not have to deal with my feelings on my own.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into and out of this home are child focused and managed sensitively. Crucially, children feel part of the decision-making about their lives, and this helps them to gain an initial sense of belonging. One child said, ‘I was able to come and see the home and meet the other children. I have kept the welcome letters that the children gave me. It was the first time that I got to design my bedroom before I moved in.’ Child-focused planning reduces children’s anxieties and helps them to form positive relationships with children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moving out of a home can be difficult for children. In one recent example, the staff personalised their approach to the needs of the child. Picture cards were created to help one child to become familiar with her new environment, location and staff. The staff are attentive to the subtleties that may help a child to feel at ease in their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to engage in different types of learning opportunities, as formal education can be difficult for them. The manager advocates for the children to ensure that their education plans support each child’s potential and aspirations. Staff are proud of the children and show a genuine interest in their schooling. This positivity is infectious, and one child said, ‘The staff have helped me to change my mind about school. I am now looking forward to going and doing my GCSE’s.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff give consistent support and guidance to children about their physical health. With a lot of encouragement, children have attended necessary health appointments and built their confidence to engage with health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Journals capture the children’s memories and their journey through their time in the home, including periods of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These writings are child focused and staff consistently record positive comments, which improves the children’s self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children live in a well-presented and welcoming home. The home is maintained to a good standard and the children’s bedrooms are well decorated and personalised. To maintain the home’s standard, a large amount of cleaning products are stored in the garage. Secure storage is required to prevent children gaining access to these hazardous cleaning materials.

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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC428895 4 The manager ensures that her staff team is aware of the risks posed by exploitation. The close working relationships with other professionals, such as the police and specialist agencies, mean that plans are implemented to manage and reduce risk.

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

Children’s engagement in open and frank discussions with staff helps them to form their understanding about exploitation and associated risks. One family member was able to reflect that this home has changed their child’s life. They said, ‘I am so proud of [name of child], and the staff deserve a medal for the difference that they have made.’

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

The manager implements care practices and procedures that promote safer care. Staff want to know and meet the children’s friends and their parents and carers. This forming of relationships and knowledge around a child’s network provides staff with additional insight around potential risks. It also acts as a safeguard to draw on support and information should a child be missing from the home.

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

The home provides children with stability even through adverse times. The staff respond effectively to the children’s diverse and complex needs, which aids the formation of trusting relationships. This means that children accept the staff’s advice and support to work through their struggles.

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

Professionals consistently report that staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities and risks. The staff are helping the children to develop strategies to manage their behaviours. For one child, this includes developing their understanding and responses to racism and helping them to form anti-racist values.

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

The manager recognises and responds to shortfalls in practice to enable lessons to be learned. Practices are reflected on, and necessary changes made to maintain the welfare and safety of children. However, on one occasion, the manager did not have sufficient oversight of specific staff practice and their responses during a significant incident. The manager was unable to clarify the measures taken with all staff working during this incident and the potential shortfalls in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly motivated about her role. She embeds a child-centred culture where, together with the staff team, they advocate for children. The children know that their needs come first because they experience staff consistently prioritising them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are cared for by a consistent group of staff, who collectively have the knowledge, experience and skills to provide the high standards of care. Although the home is carrying staffing vacancies, the team pull together to ensure that this does not impact on the children. This maintains the children’s sense of security.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is a strength of this home. Professionals have high regard for this home and the care that the staff provide to the children to help them to achieve Inspection report for children’s home: SC428895 5 their aims. One professional said, ‘Some home’s say they are child-centred, but this home truly demonstrates it. I wish there were more homes for children that delivered care to this standard.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children are valued and respected and their participation is important. Children are empowered to ‘have their say’ and to make their views and opinions known. The children are involved in decisions about their home and their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

As children move out of the home, the manager ensures that their records are stored safely, so that, in time, children can access their information. However, until these records are archived, the manager must ensure the secure storage of records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is striving to continue to improve the service and outcomes for children. She provides routine practice direction and guidance to the staff to improve their skills. Inspection report for children’s home: SC428895 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 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)) 25 November

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that hazardous cleaning materials are securely locked away. This is acceptable as a security precaution. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.62)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children’s case records are stored securely while they remain archived in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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: SC428895 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Susan Fitzsimmons

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC428895 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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