Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Middlesbrough

Inspection report for children’s home: 1229417 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Since the last full inspection, one child has moved out of the home and a new child has moved in.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post. A manager has been appointed and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1229417 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/12/2019 Full Good 24/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1229417 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Staff form good relationships with children. However, children’s experiences and progress have been mixed. The child living in the home has no educational provision. There is no robust escalation of challenge from leaders to ensure that this is addressed in a timely manner. This means that the child is missing opportunities to develop positive social and educational outcomes.

p.3

improvement to be good

The current monitoring measures of the home environment are not sufficient to ensure that the child’s bedroom is well maintained. The child’s bed has a very dusty headboard, the carpet is stained, and there are clothes strewn on the floor. These poor conditions have the potential to negatively affect the child’s physical and mental health. Equally, this does not give the child a strong message that they are worthy of a room that is attractive.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff consult with children about the day-to-day running of the home and decisions about their care. This is done through regular meetings and key-work sessions. When children make complaints, these are thoroughly investigated. This assures children that their views are important.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support children to build positive memories of their stay in the home. Children enjoy a range of activities, such as going to the cinema and on trips to places of interest. This helps to build children’s confidence.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff work with children’s families and placing authorities to facilitate regular family visits and social occasions. This helps children to maintain these important relationships and ensures that they are not isolated from their families.

p.3

improvement to be good

Risk assessment systems are not effective. The matching and assessment tool identifies all known risks and vulnerabilities prior to the child moving into the home. However, this document fails to fully consider whether the staff have the relevant skills to meet the child’s needs. This failure means that staff are still waiting to be trained on the specific needs of the child. Therefore, not all staff are sufficiently equipped to respond to the child’s risks or needs. This does not ensure that the child is always safeguarded effectively.

p.3

improvement to be good

Despite regular focused work with children, staff do not routinely evaluate the effectiveness of this work. This shortfall has left one child in distress following some incidents. This does not promote the child’s welfare. Inspection report for children’s home: 1229417 4 Staff use verbal praise and other incentives to celebrate children’s positive behaviour. This helps children to recognise and respond to appropriate boundaries. As a result, incidents continue to reduce and there have been no physical restraints since the last inspection.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff recruitment is effective and helps to prevent the employment of unsuitable staff. Leaders and managers carry out all necessary employment checks and verify these checks before staff work in the home.

p.4

good

A new manager is in post and has applied to register with Ofsted. The previous manager moved from the home while in the process of registering with the regulator.

p.4

good

The current staff team provides consistency for the child. Most members of staff have worked in the home for a relatively short period. Staff are working towards the required qualification. The manager has a clear vision for the home and a good retention plan. However, this is not yet fully embedded to evaluate the impact.

p.4

good

Not all staff receive formal supervision in line with the organisation’s policy. New members of staff have not received formal supervision since they started. Consequently, managers do not sufficiently monitor or review staff performance. As a result, they are unable to quickly identify shortfalls in staff practice that may impact on children’s progress.

p.4

good

The most recent statement of purpose for the home was available during this inspection. However, this has not been sent to Ofsted as required. This means that Ofsted, parents and professionals may not have access to accurate information with regard to the aims and objectives of the home, to ensure that children are cared for in line with the statement of purpose.

p.4

good

Staff benefit from regular team meetings. These are used as an opportunity to share learning and improve practice. Staff speak highly of the support they receive from their colleagues and say that they feel like part of a team.

p.4

good

The manager uses external monitoring by the independent visitor to review the quality of the care and progress of the children. The monitoring by the independent visitor provides challenge to the manager. The manager and staff have good working relationships with other professionals and with children’s families. This supports partnership working and means that children’s welfare is better promoted. Inspection report for children’s home: 1229417 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.5

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.5

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.5

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(vii)) 10 March 2023

p.5

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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; 10 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1229417 6 that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 10 March 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 10 March 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 10 March 2023

p.6

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: 1229417 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1229417 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8