Children's Home, Residential special school run by Cambian Autism Services Limited in Dorset

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 1 SC065261 Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home, owned by a large national provider, is registered to care for up to 40 children with autism spectrum disorder and/or learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection, 12 children were living in the home, across five houses.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is on the same site as a special school run by the provider. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A notice of proposal to cancel the children’s home’s registration was served on 11 July 2022 following the full inspection on 30 June 2022 which graded the home as inadequate. A subsequent monitoring visit carried out in August 2022 found some modest improvements had been made. Consequently, a notice of decision to cancel the registration was not served. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/06/2022 Full Inadequate 12/10/2021 Full Inadequate 20/07/2021 Full Inadequate 25/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 3

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inadequate

This home has not been judged as providing children with a good overall experience since August 2014. This is the fourth consecutive inspection where the children’s home has been judged to be inadequate.

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inadequate

Following the last inspection, senior leaders put in place an improvement plan that included plans to separate the home’s registration into three smaller clusters and to improve the quality and consistency of management oversight, staffing sufficiency and expertise, and safeguarding practice.

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inadequate

This inspection found ongoing failures to adequately safeguard children. Leaders and managers have not understood accurately the scale and depth of the seriousness of the concerns. Progress in implementing the required changes is too slow.

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inadequate

At this inspection, once again, inspectors have found inconsistencies in the quality of care that children receive across all five homes. This repeated failure results in not all children receiving safe, well-planned and nurturing care.

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inadequate

Some children live in homes that are not well led and, as a result, experience poorly managed care. Inspectors found that most staff working at one home are new and inexperienced. Leaders and managers were aware that this team was not working together effectively but had not taken sufficient action to resolve these concerns. As a result, the children in this home are looked after by staff who often have a poor understanding of their needs and who do not always follow their care and support plans effectively.

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inadequate

Some children’s dining experiences are poor. Mealtimes can be a solitary experience for some, with little interaction from staff. This does not help children to develop their social and living skills. In comparison, other children enjoy shared family-style mealtimes. They choose what they would like to eat and enjoy sitting together with each other and with staff.

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inadequate

The home’s own care plans do not provide new and inexperienced staff with sufficient up-to-date information about the children they are caring for. Leaders and managers’ monitoring and oversight of children’s plans are poor. They have failed to identify and rectify records that have not been completed and care targets for some children that are not realistic or achievable. Consequently, some children’s progress is not known.

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inadequate

Overall, there has been a continued improvement in securing a permanent and consistent workforce. There is less reliance on temporary staff and, typically, children are now provided with the right numbers of staff to look after them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 4 Consequently, opportunities for children to enjoy more social activities in the local community have improved.

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

Not all safeguarding concerns are recognised or responded to appropriately. Neither senior leaders nor the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) have identified these weaknesses. Consequently, senior leaders do not accurately understand whether children are being kept safe. Senior leaders have taken recent action to replace the DSL. Previously, investigations into safeguarding concerns were not concluded swiftly. Improvements have been made to complete investigations that were open at the last inspection.

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

The often poor management oversight of the care provided by staff and the guidance given to them means that they cannot always be clear about children’s state of health and welfare. This means some children may experience poor outcomes. For example, there is serious concern for the rapid decline in one child’s health and well-being. The child continues to lose weight and experiences prolonged periods of distress, causing injury to himself and others.

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

Senior leaders and managers have worked closely with a team of medical professionals who are investigating the reason for the child’s deteriorating health. Despite this, leaders and managers have failed to consider if the child’s living environment and the poor quality of care he is provided with may be a significant contributing factor. The inspector’s concerns were such that senior leaders were asked to implement an immediate plan to safeguard the child and referrals were made to the children’s services department in the local authority where the home is situated and to the placing local authority.

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

Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are regularly updated and contain helpful information for staff. These plans help staff identify triggers and early indicators of stress. Despite this, not all staff implement the guidance provided and so do not take effective or immediate action when some children are experiencing high levels of anxiety.

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

The oversight of reportable incidents by leaders and managers is inadequate. Leaders and managers have failed to identify and rectify poor quality, and often incomplete, records of serious incidents. These records fail to show how well children have been helped to understand their feelings, what happened and why.

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

Fire records across the site now contain the full details of staff and children who have taken part in practice fire evacuations. This has improved since the previous inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of leadership and management oversight is inadequate. Leaders and managers have failed to take timely action to address the entrenched concerns Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 5 identified at this and previous inspections. At this inspection, inspectors found serious and widespread concerns that were not known to the responsible individual, the registered manager or senior leaders. The monitoring of the operation of the home is ineffective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The findings of this inspection sit against a backdrop of similar concerns being identified at a number of previous inspections over several years. This inspection, in the context of those long-standing and serious shortfalls, illustrates an inability by the home and the wider organisation to make progress towards providing safe and appropriate care for children in a reasonable timescale. The cumulative impact of this on children is a significant concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In their review of serious incidents, leaders and managers do not always recognise poor practice. Managers do not routinely review daily recordings to better understand the quality and effectiveness of the care being provided. Some records are incomplete or illegible and too many do not detail the actions taken or the outcomes achieved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the monitoring visit, the registered manager has revised the staff training matrix. This document now informs leaders and managers of each staff member’s training needs. Despite improved training opportunities and enhanced management oversight of training, not all staff have received appropriate specialist training. Consequently, some staff either do not have or do not apply appropriate specialist knowledge and skills to the care of the children living in this home, many of whom have extremely complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Not all staff receive regular formal supervision. This lack of sufficient support means that these staff are not getting the guidance needed to enable them to do their job effectively. When staff have received supervision, the recording of these discussions has improved. Records now show agreed actions, discussion about practice and reflection on the impact of care given to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

As a consequence of the shortfalls identified at this inspection, which largely mirror those found at previous inspections, Ofsted is considering its full range of enforcement powers and will continue to monitor this home closely. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably.

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(vii) (3)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at a previous inspection and is restated. 4 November 2022

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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— 4 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 7 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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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.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 4 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 8 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff receive the necessary specialist training to be able to apply the statement of purpose and to meet children’s needs. The registered person should also ensure that systems are in place to monitor the quality of care provided in the home, and to understand the impact that the care has for children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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 arrangements are in place to— 4 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 9 ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all care plans are clear, concise and relevant to the child’s current needs and behaviours. The registered person should also ensure that children’s care plans are supported by clear, achievable targets, which are reviewed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at a previous inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that incidents of restraint are reviewed for effectiveness.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at a previous inspection and is restated. 4 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 4 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 10 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that when serious information is uncovered as part of investigations, Ofsted are notified.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at a previous inspection and is restated.

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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: SC065261 11

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian Autism Services Limited, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Hayley Lukaszewski

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Inspectors

Sharron Escott, Social Care Inspector Kendra Bell, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065261 12 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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