Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Somerset

Inspection report children’s home: 2614511 1 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 part of a large private organisation. The company employs its own clinical team. This resource is shared between this home and six other homes within the organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home has been registered with Ofsted since December 2021.

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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 outstanding

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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: 14 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: 2614511 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2614511 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make significant progress in this home from their various starting points. The team works hard to work within the ethos of the home and to promote the children’s strengths and interests. Children are encouraged to explore new interests as well as pursue their hobbies and talents. Therefore, children are provided with opportunities to attend clubs and activities outside of school and extend their social network.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are captured effectively, using software that the children feel comfortable to use and is well embedded in practice. Children can share their thoughts and concerns about any issue, which is then well responded to by staff. For example, children have felt confident to raise complaints with the leaders and managers and these have been responded to promptly with the children being thanked for raising their concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children told the inspector that they ‘absolutely love’ living in the home and that staff have helped them ‘100%’. One child has lived in the home for over 12 months and is able to draw comparisons between her starting point and how far she has come with the help of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to move on from the home positively where possible. Two children have already begun some work to help with this transition. The children told the inspector about the four-stage plan, where they were and what they are yet to achieve. One social worker told the inspector that plans for another child moving out were very clear and how staff helped the child to understand the necessary life skills to successfully live independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

External professionals consistently say that their communication with the home is a particular strength. This includes when leaders and managers need to challenge decisions by other professionals in the best interests of the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One parent told the inspector that staff are looking after their child well. They feel well informed when incidents occur and report that they can call their child to maintain their relationship in-between visits. The parent told the inspector that they appreciate having a friendly staff member to speak with whenever they call.

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outstanding

Staff identify and respond to safeguarding concerns very well. They are proactive in their approach to identify the possibility of a child going missing in advance, due to routine checks carried out on a child’s mobile phone. Another child’s instances of going missing have significantly reduced since living in the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2614511 4 There is excellent multi-agency working between the home and external professionals, with others often looking to the leaders and managers as the experts in their field. Leaders and managers have consulted with other agencies to develop knowledge and practice locally.

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outstanding

Staff routinely use evidence-based approaches in their practice. Leaders and managers, staff and the therapeutic team work seamlessly together to understand and support the children in their care.

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outstanding

Staff’s response to children who go missing is robust and well-coordinated. Due to the specific vulnerabilities of the children in the home and risks of exploitation, staff routinely check local hotels as part of their searches. Leaders and managers have worked hard to build these relationships with local businesses.

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outstanding

Following several missing-from-care incidents, clinical staff have reviewed one child’s pattern of behaviours to further understand motivations and the specific experiences for that child. Clinical staff have shared their hypotheses with staff and there is currently an understanding that a larger piece of therapeutic work is needed. Clinical staff are working alongside the team to source the appropriate resources for this work to be successful.

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outstanding

Children routinely have access to therapeutic intervention in this home. One child is receiving drama therapy and told the inspector that they find this helpful.

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outstanding

During a serious incident in the home, staff responded well and followed appropriate protocol to ensure everyone’s safety. Leaders and managers completed a comprehensive reflection following the incident to look at learning opportunities, which have been disseminated across the company.

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outstanding

Staff have never had to use restraint in this home. However, they are trained to do so if necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers lead the staff by example and diligently uphold the ethos of the home. The care children receive is considered and creative.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive effective training in topics that are relevant to the needs of the children they care for. Staff value the face-to-face training they receive and describe it as ‘in depth’. Staff told the inspector that they can request any further training they feel they need and are confident that this will be sourced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision by leaders and managers. Staff told the inspector that supervision offers them opportunity to reflect on their practice. Supervision is thorough and well recorded. Inspection report children’s home: 2614511 5 Staff told the inspector that they enjoy working in this home. They say that this is due to the homely environment and their working relationships with their colleagues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While management oversight of this home is good, there are some inconsistencies in the recordings of leaders’ and managers’ evaluation of incidents. Similarly, staff debriefs following incidents do not always offer enough professional challenge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The inspector found some records to be written in the first person, as if by the child. However, not all the records and subsequent updates have been viewed by the child nor have their comments been captured consistently. Leaders and managers recognised this oversight and addressed this during the inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 2614511 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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff receive consistent debriefs following incidents and that leaders and managers consider these, alongside other information, to review and evaluate practice. 31 December

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, carefully consider the appropriateness of recording the child’s information using first-person narrative. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 children’s home: 2614511 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, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Katie Ratcliffe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2614511 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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