Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 1 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 is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the last full inspection on 22 November 2022. Following the inspection, Ofsted served a compliance notice in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard. In addition, seven requirements were made.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to evaluate what steps the provider had taken to meet the steps set out in the compliance notice and to meet the requirements.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home. This move was planned in consultation with both the child, who had the opportunity to meet with her new carers prior to the move, and her placing authority. Once in her new home, staff visited the child to provide support and to help her feel comfortable. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. This child told the inspector that she felt well supported by staff and that she enjoys living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has improved partnership working between the staff, parents and local authorities. This includes sharing risk management plans with parents and social workers. Furthermore, managers have scheduled a learning review with social workers, police and the host authority’s designated safeguarding lead to discuss a child’s time living in the home. Managers anticipate that this review will identify Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 2 further areas for staff development that will be incorporated into their improvement plan. This work remains ongoing at the time of the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, staff have supported one child to return to full-time education and there is now a clear learning plan in place. While the child waited to start her placement, staff supported her to complete constructive activities. As a result, the child has been prepared to attend formal learning and is now making progress.

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This monitoring visit

Children are now supported to understand the implications of their health choices. Since the last inspection, staff have completed direct work sessions with one child to inform her of smoking-related risks and implemented a clear smoking cessation plan. Furthermore, the manager has planned for staff to receive specialist training to ensure that they have the skills to support children to understand healthy and safe relationships. As a result, the manager is responding to children’s health needs and improving staff’s knowledge. Children’s health is improving as a result.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made improvements to children’s written risk assessments. Assessments now contain clear information about children’s risks and reduction strategies. Furthermore, in response to one child’s risk-taking behaviours increasing, the manager provided staff with a ‘grab bag’ which provided resources that may assist them when responding in an emergency. In addition, managers implemented measures that safeguard children when using their mobile phones which included the use of parental monitoring applications. As a result, the staff have a better understanding of how they should safeguard and care for children.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has completed a reflective discussion with staff on risk assessments to increase their understanding of the importance of keeping these up to date and their responsibilities when keeping children safe. Furthermore, the manager has reviewed the home’s lone working risk assessment in line with children’s needs to ensure that staff have suitable skills and resources to keep children safe. This has increased support for staff and has demonstrated an improvement in the management oversight of the care provided.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there have been no physical interventions. Managers have taken steps to improve record-keeping and all staff have now completed record- keeping training. Furthermore, managers have scheduled a learning review with the company’s behaviour management lead to identify trends and patterns in incidents. At the time of inspection, this work remains ongoing. However, managers explained that they are confident that staff have the sufficient skills to record restraints in line with the regulations.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there have been no allegations or complaints made by children. Managers informed the inspector that there are plans to complete a review of previously made allegations and complaints. Following this, children will be provided with a written response to explain the outcome of an investigation and the Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 3 manager will action any identified learning. This will be monitored at the next inspection; as a result, the requirement has been repeated.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has updated the home’s statement of purpose to reflect the use of surveillance systems that are used in the home. In addition, the manager has updated children’s individual risk assessments to reflect the need for monitoring and these have been shared with children’s social workers. The manager has yet to review the home’s CCTV policy to ensure that the home is using surveillance in line with internal policy. As a result, the manager has not provided assurances that all monitoring systems used in the home are necessary and proportionate. This requirement remains and will be monitored at the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Following the last inspection, the company’s quality team has completed an internal review of safeguarding practices. The report was not available at the time of the inspection. In addition, the manager has completed a review of the independent person’s reports. The manager explained that they plan to change the format of these visits to ensure that reports are more detailed and that areas for development are clearly identified. The effectiveness of this will be considered at the next inspection. This requirement has been restated.

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This monitoring visit

During the visit, the inspector found that the provider has made the necessary improvements to meet the compliance notice. However, the provider had not taken sufficient steps to meet all the requirements made. Ofsted will continue to monitor progress and review all remaining requirements at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2022 Full Inadequate 30/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 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, 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the registered manager escalates concerns effectively and ensures that children’s needs are met.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 6 March 2023

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that allegations made by children are shared in line with safeguarding procedures to the LADO and an outcome is shared with children. 6 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 6 This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 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; and

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager reviewing and evaluating the quality of care and implementing monitoring systems to bring about improvement.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 6 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that CCTV is only used in line with company policy.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 6 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 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

Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2599399 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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