Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 1 SC456798 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 owned by a private company and provides cares for one child who experiences social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There have been three managers in post during this inspection period. The most recent manager came into post in November 2022.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2022 Full Good 18/07/2019 Full Good 06/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 12/12/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently living in the home described her experience so far as ‘excellent’, ‘amazing’ and ‘fun’. The social worker and child’s mother both agree that she is making good progress and that staff have a clear understanding of her needs. The child is encouraged and supported to spend time with people who are important to her. One parent said, ‘Everything is going well for [name of child].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take children to visit their family regularly. However, when visits have been cancelled due to the child’s behaviour in the home or at school, staff have failed to challenge this. This does not help children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with a variety of activities and outings. Staff encourage children to remain active and take care of their health and hygiene. When needed, staff take children to health appointments and ensure that they take medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are not in school, staff provide educational plans to continue their learning at home. However, when children struggle to engage with this learning, staff do not always challenge or support them to complete their work. This does not enable children to make consistent academic progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are carrying out proactive work to help teach one child how to keep herself safe in the community and online. However, this has not always been the case. When one child tried on several occasions to talk about difficult feelings, staff failed to explore these with her. This work has improved dramatically since the current manager came into post and children are now being supported to understand their emotions as well as how to keep themselves safe.

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

The child who is currently living in this home says that she feels safe and staff listen to her when she has worries. Staff advocate on the child’s behalf and ensure that she has the support she needs.

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

Staff understand the child’s needs and vulnerabilities and act to keep her safe. Staff provide the child with consistent responses and firm boundaries that are fair. These clear expectations foster a sense of safety and understanding.

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

Staff have not always followed children’s plans fully. For example, one child should have had two members of staff with her at all times but was left alone with individual members of staff on numerous occasions. This left the child at risk of harm and the adults at risk of allegations. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 4 Staff only restrain children as a last resort, and they successfully use strategies to help to prevent children becoming highly distressed. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] is becoming much more regulated in her behaviour. Before moving here, incidents used to occur on a daily basis, but they’ve (staff) been able to figure out the triggers and incidents have decreased significantly.’

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

Staff work well with other agencies and communicate effectively with professionals and family members. This ensures that all adults are working together to best support the child.

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

Staff have not always carried out sufficient direct work with children who are at risk of exploitation. However, the manager and staff team who were caring for children at this time are no longer working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The current manager is experienced and qualified. He has been in post since the beginning of November 2022 and has already dramatically improved practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there have been three managers in post and the staff team has been completely replaced. One child experienced more consistent care than the other due to the time that they moved in and the stage of team development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is new but stable and staff are committed to providing the best support for the child. One member of staff said, ‘We’re all striving for the absolute best outcomes for [name of child]. We are a new team, but everybody is giving everything for her.’ Relationships between staff and management are supportive and positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses internal and external monitoring systems effectively to ensure that staff are working in the best ways for the child. This oversight promotes positive practice and continual learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive adequate training, although this currently remains primarily online. Staff receive supervision sessions from managers; however, the frequency of these sessions is not in line with what the provider’s documents state it should be.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work hard to understand the reasons for the child’s behaviour. They work together to gain a wider picture of what happens before the child becomes distressed. The child’s social worker says, ‘I can’t fault them. They (staff) have a good understanding of [name of child] and are doing amazing.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Current case records are clear and relevant. However, case records under previous managers have been outdated and documents have been missing. This does not enable the child to have a good understanding of her time living in this home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 5

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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 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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that children who are not attending education have a regular routine and education timetable and are consistently supported to complete educational activities while not in school. 16 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. 16 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that children are supported to explore and understand their emotions, especially when they try to discuss feelings about relationships and experiences. For children who are at risk of exploitation, staff should carry out consistent work to help them understand how to keep themselves safe.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the 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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. 16 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 7 (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that each child is supported by staff at the levels agreed in their care plan.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that staff supervision sessions and appraisals are completed within the timescales outlined in the statement of purpose. 16 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), on—

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Requirement Due date

a child’s contact with parents, relatives or friends;

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Requirement Due date

visits to the child by the child’s parents, relatives or friends;

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Requirement Due date

a child’s communications with any persons listed in regulation 22(1) (contact and access to communications). (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(c)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that any attempts to restrict family time as a consequence for behaviour are strongly and consistently challenged. A child’s time with family should be protected and promoted at all times. 16 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 16 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 8 Specifically, the registered person should ensure that each child’s records are completed and maintained.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all children receive proactive direct work to help them understand how to keep themselves safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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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: SC456798 9

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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

Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 10 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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