Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Nottingham

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 1 SC457500

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Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to six children with moderate learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced and has been registered since 2015.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children have very good and trusting relationships with staff. Staff are very playful with children, and children respond well to this. A child said, ‘I give here 20 out of 10.’ This was significantly improved feedback for this child and demonstrates the improvements made. The same child’s social worker said, ‘He has made incredible progress here, and the manager is most definitely a protective factor in his life.’

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The care of children

The home is a positive, nurturing environment that children enjoy. Some shortfalls previously identified relating to the environment have been put right. The home has been developed to meet the needs of the children. One child’s bedroom has had new flooring. This helped to meet the environmental and care needs of the child.

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The care of children

Children enjoy very positive relationships with staff. Children receive continuity of care from the staff, and this is helping them to make progress. For example, one child previously became fixated on collecting items and packaging in his room. The improvement in his room was notable. The staff have worked hard to help him, through individual key-working sessions and role modelling. Consequently, the child’s anxieties have been reduced.

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The care of children

Children are receiving regular key-work sessions to support them with matters that are important to them. This has included helping children to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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The care of children

Children are engaged in education and making progress. The manager and local authorities have worked collaboratively to ensure that children have individualised plans for their care and education. This means that children are more engaged in education and making progress. However, one child was admitted to the home in an emergency, and his education was not maintained.

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The care of children

Children enjoy positive activities and interactions with each other and staff. There is a fun and playful feel to the home. Staff understand the importance of play in their roles. A staff member said: ‘It feels like a very different place. Children are more settled; new staff have been brought into the home with fresh ideas. The children are happier.’ Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 3

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The safety of children

Safeguarding processes and procedures are followed. The manager notifies the relevant safeguarding agencies over any concerning incidents. There has been an improvement in safeguarding practice with good multi-agency collaboration. However, there have been two occasions of poor supervision of children. This did not lead to significant risk to children but had the potential to do so. Because of these incidents, performance management and safeguarding processes were followed by leaders and the manager.

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The safety of children

The organisation has ensured that if any investigations are required, these are undertaken to explore learning and make improvements to staff practice when shortfalls are found. However, these investigations take an excessive amount of time to complete, leading to missed opportunities for immediate learning.

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The safety of children

The manager has implemented several systems to improve safeguarding practice. She ensures robust oversight of incidents. Risk assessments are reviewed and shared with staff so they understand how to keep children safe.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments for the monitoring and supervision of children during the day are stronger than during the night. There have not been any incidents. However, there is potential for this. Staff deployment and risk assessments should proactively mitigate against risks throughout the day and night.

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The safety of children

Children’s behaviour has improved, with a reduction in challenging behaviour. The positive relationships with staff and good routines help children to regulate their behaviour. This has led to a reduced need for the use of physical intervention to manage more difficult behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager is proactive and works hard. She acts as a source of constant support to children and staff. Staffing instability has continued to put extra pressure on the leadership of the home. However, staff recruitment is now improving, and the manager and staff are presenting as much more confident about the skills and confidence of the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The requirements set at the last inspection were found to be met. The manager and staff have responded to the shortfalls appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has taken steps to improve the recruitment, retention and development of staff. This work has started and is ongoing. Staff development is improving in how they meet the children’s care plans and changing needs. Leaders and the manager use external support available to the team. This includes clinical staff group supervision that supports the ongoing development of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff are attending regular team meetings and receive practise-based supervisions. Staff report feeling well supported and feel that the home has been on an Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 4 improvement journey in the last year. Staff morale has improved, and new staff are making a positive contribution to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

An updated code of conduct has been shared with staff to ensure that all staff are aware of expectations. This code of conduct reiterates the need for children to be always supervised. In addition, children cannot enter each other’s bedrooms unsupervised. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/11/2021 Full Inadequate 10/12/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that children placed in an emergency are supported, wherever possible, to maintain their educational placement. 13 January 2023

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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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)) 13 January 2023 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 7 In particular, senior leaders are to ensure that management investigations are completed in a timely manner to avoid missed opportunities for immediate remedial action.

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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 to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that risk assessments are proactive tools to reduce risks and that these strongly mitigate and manage risks during the day and night. Staff supervision and resource deployment should reflect the supervision needs of children. 13 January 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. There should be clear lines of accountability. Each home must have clear arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page, 54 paragraph 10.20) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 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

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC457500 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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