Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home: SC043972 1 SC043972 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 one of a number of children’s homes run by a large private organisation. This home provides care for up to five children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since March 2022. A new manager has been appointed to this post and has applied for registration.

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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: 22 February 2022

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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: SC043972 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2022 Full Good 16/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/09/2019 Full Good 12/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC043972 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are three children currently living at the home. One child moved into the home in August 2022. They settled in quickly and were warmly welcomed by staff. The child’s social worker reported, ‘[Name of child] has settled in wonderfully and feels happy, and the staff team ensured that he felt welcomed.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in relation to their starting points. Children are registered with the health services they need, and staff ensure that children attend their routine health and medical appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Medical consent is in place and staff are familiar with the health decisions and responsibilities that are delegated to them. Staff work closely with health professionals to ensure that the health needs of children are met effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from well-planned, personalised care that promotes their needs effectively. Staff provide children with consistency and stability in their lives. Children enjoy good relationships with the adults who care for them. A social worker reported, ‘[name of child] feels that staff care about him and his future, as they support all aspects of his life.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are engaged in education and staff encourage regular school attendance. Staff support children to have a stable education. Staff help children to overcome any barriers that affect their learning and they work closely with schools to promote children’s achievements, attainment and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to see their friends and families. As a result, children sustain familiar relationships with the people who are most important to them. One child said, ‘We all know we have our own families. But we’re also like a little family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend weekly meetings with staff. This ensures that children are consulted and feel able to contribute to the running of their home. There is evidence that, following these meetings, staff act on children’s wishes and reasonable requests. However, some children have requested double beds for their bedrooms, and it is unclear why their requests have not been addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from regular activities, including go-karting, fishing and going to theme parks, the golf range and the zoo. One child plays for a local football team and staff have taken the children away on a summer holiday. Children’s interests, talents and hobbies are encouraged.

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

Robust risk-management plans ensure that staff understand the specific needs and emerging vulnerabilities of children. These plans provide clear strategies for staff to Inspection report for children’s home: SC043972 4 manage behaviour safely and keep children safe from harm. Staff ensure that plans are reviewed and updated regularly.

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

The home has a zero-tolerance approach to bullying. Staff promote a harmonious, respectful, culturally diverse and safe environment for children to feel safe in. One child said, ‘Pretty much everything is good about living here and there’s not much to fault. Staff are always there for me to talk to.’

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

Staff implement consistent rules and boundaries and have high expectations of children’s behaviour. Positive behaviour is consistently praised and reinforced. Staff are trained in de-escalation techniques and use this learning to support children’s behaviours safely and effectively. There have not been any incidents of physical restraint since the last inspection.

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

The use of consequences in response to unwanted behaviour is fair and proportionate. Staff educate children about the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others. This encourages children to learn from their mistakes and deters unacceptable behaviour. One child said, ‘The rules here are sensible and are not too strict.’

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

Staff are trained in child protection and have a good understanding of their safeguarding duties and roles. Staff ensure that the safety and well-being of children are consistently at the centre of their practice. Significant incidents are reported to the appropriate authorities. This ensures that the relevant professionals can take action to support children and protect them from harm.

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

Children are protected if they go missing from the home. Staff implement and follow the procedures for reporting children who are missing and work closely with the police to secure the children’s safe return.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new manager has been recruited and has applied for registration with Ofsted. The manager is already experienced in this role, having held a registered manager’s position previously.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are a small number of staff vacancies, and the recruitment of new staff is a priority for the manager, to ensure that the home is fully staffed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are experienced. However, the current staff composition is predominantly female. As a result, there are insufficient male members of staff to act as positive role models and mentors for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The aims and objectives as set out in the statement of purpose are being met. The manager has met and addressed the only requirement that was made at the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC043972 5 The manager has completed a quality-of-care review that includes measurable targets for the development of the home. The review includes the views of children and stakeholders and meets regulatory requirements. A social worker reported, ‘Both [name of child] and I are very happy with the placement. He has shared that he wishes to stay there for the foreseeable future.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works efficiently and effectively. The manager makes good use of monitoring activities to understand the home’s strengths and weaknesses, and tackles any shortfalls identified with the staff’s practice to secure improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from a warm, physically safe and homely living environment. Children’s bedrooms are individually personalised in accordance with their needs, feelings and wishes. Health and safety matters are addressed effectively to ensure that children and staff are safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC043972 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, the 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)) 28 February 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff from the different gender groups are employed to provide children with positive role models. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.12)  The registered person should ensure that any reasonable request by a child is considered and taken seriously. This relates specifically to children’s requests to have a double bed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 21, paragraph 4.4)

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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: SC043972 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Anthony Kyem, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC043972 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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