Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Dudley

Inspection report for children’s home: SC472465 1 SC472465 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to five children who have had adverse childhood experiences and who have complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The interim manager has submitted their application to Ofsted and is working towards their level 5 qualification.

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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: 8 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: SC472465 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/02/2022 Full Good 11/12/2019 Full Good 18/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC472465 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality care from staff who understand their needs. Staff are caring and nurturing and work hard to promote children’s well-being. When asked about the care provided, a professional responded, ‘It’s been excellent, and communication has been particularly good.’ This support helps children to make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education. When children face difficulties in engaging and attending their education provision, the manager has worked well with school professionals and supported children to overcome these hurdles. Staff communicate well with schools, ensuring that there is a collaborative approach to meeting children’s education needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with local health services and attend routine appointments. They are encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle and are offered a balanced healthy diet. When required, the manager uses specialist mental health services to help children. Staff are sensitive and caring in their approach and give children all the support they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel listened to, and this empowers them to speak up. Children know how to make a complaint. Any complaints are investigated by the manager and children are provided with an outcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff promote independence skills and support children in developing these skills. Plans for children to move on from the home are well considered and individualised to each child. One child’s transition has been delayed by their placing authority. The manager has escalated a complaint effectively to the placing authority. Consequently, children feel supported in their home as their wishes are positively advocated for by the manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s bedrooms have been decorated and personalised. However, there are several areas in the home that need improvement, including the landing windows and the outside summer house, as well as some internal cosmetic decoration.

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

Staff understand children’s known risks and what actions they are expected to take to keep children safe. Children’s risk assessments and behaviour support plans detail what staff should do when children are struggling. This means that staff’s approach to each child is individualised.

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

There have been a low number of incidents of children going missing from the home. Staff respond to these incidents appropriately. Children receive return home Inspection report for children’s home: SC472465 4 interviews, and direct work is undertaken with children following these incidents, to support them to make better choices in the future.

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

Staff recognise children’s achievements and implement incentives which give opportunities for children to receive rewards of their choice. This ensures that positive behaviour is encouraged.

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

The home has effective communication with local safeguarding agencies and children are supported when they allege they are a victim of harm. One professional said, ‘The manager always reports matters timely, they are managed appropriately, and any outcomes are fed back to [name of local authority designated officer] as considered necessary.’

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

Staff manage children’s use of the internet appropriately. This includes undertaking work with children to educate them about online safety. This increases their knowledge and understanding of online risk and empowers children to keep themselves safe when accessing the internet and social media.

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

Some children have a history of significant self-harm risks. These are well managed by the manager and staff, and there has been a reduction in these incidents for all children. One child said that because of the home they are ‘stronger in my mind, stronger in my body and stronger in every way possible’.

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

The manager ensures that safe recruitment checks are carried out before introducing new staff into the home. These checks ensure that the children in the home are cared for by safe adults.

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

Medication management is generally safe and well managed. However, on two occasions, one child has been administered their morning medication in the afternoon. This error did not have a significant impact on the child’s health.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is working towards their level 5 qualification and has relevant experience for the role. She is passionate and committed to developing good practice in the home. One child’s independent reviewing officer described her as ‘a great advocate for the children in her care’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses monitoring systems to consider and act on areas for improvement. The manager and the staff team have a shared commitment to supporting children to do well. This is echoed by external professionals who work collaboratively with the home to promote children’s outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there have been several staff changes. When there have been staff shortages, the home has used the same temporary staff to provide a level of continuity for children. Recruitment of staff has now been completed, meaning that there will be less need for temporary staff to be used in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC472465 5 Most staff are up to date with mandatory training. However, additional planned training to help the staff team understand concerns around self-harm has been significantly delayed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, which supports them in undertaking their roles effectively. Regular team meetings take place, which encourages consistency in practice and supportive relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. Professionals spoke of good working relationships and said that the manager has a good understanding of the needs and experiences of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC472465 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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to making improvements to the environment, including to windows on the landing, to the summer house and to paintwork around doors. 28 December

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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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 28 December Inspection report for children’s home: SC472465 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff only give prescribed medicines to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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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: SC472465 8

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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

Mark Dickinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC472465 9 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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