Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 1 SC476270 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a large private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to five children. Children are likely to have emotional and behavioural difficulties and may have experienced trauma.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since December 2019. Managers have been in post since then but have resigned without registering with Ofsted. A new manager has now been recruited but has not yet started working in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 26 July 2022, Ofsted carried out an assurance visit. Serious and widespread failures were identified in the protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. As a result, a compliance notice was issued in relation to regulation 13.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 14 September 2022, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit to monitor the progress made since the previous inspection. Some shortfalls remained and the compliance notice for regulation 13 was not met. A second compliance notice was issued for regulation 13.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 17 November 2022, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit to monitor the progress made since the previous inspection. While some progress had been made, some shortfalls in relation to leadership and management were identified and the compliance notice for regulation 13 was not met for a second time. The manager at the time had withdrawn her application to register. Other shortfalls were identified in relation to management of allegations, failure to supervise children, resulting in them going missing from home, and concerns about keeping children safe online. As Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 2 a result, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice on 22 November 2022 to prevent any further children moving into the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 12 January 2023, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit. The purpose of this visit was to review if the provider had adhered to the notice of restriction and to review the previous requirements. This monitoring visit found improvements had been made and some of the requirements had been met. Despite this, the leadership and management of the home remained unstable. This is because a manager had not been appointed and management oversight of the home was weak. As a result, the notice to restrict accommodation remained in place.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this latest visit was review the progress made against the requirements raised at the last monitoring visit and to review the notice of restriction of accommodation. The provider had adhered to the notice to restrict accommodation.

p.2

This monitoring visit

One child has left the home since the last inspection. At the time of this visit, one child was living here. The transition for the child who left was planned sensitively. Staff spent time settling the child into their new home and sharing information with the child’s new carers about the child’s needs. This has supported the child to adjust to changes in their care as well as possible.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Management arrangements continue to be unstable. The manager appointed prior to the previous monitoring visit has not yet started working in the home and their application for registration has not been submitted to Ofsted. This prevents Ofsted from being able to assess the suitability of the management arrangements. In addition, shortfalls were identified during this visit in the monitoring and oversight of the quality of care by interim managers.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staffing numbers in the home are low. There are currently only five permanent staff, including the deputy who is currently overseeing the home. The deputy manager and most of the staff team are not yet qualified to level 3. Two staff are currently in their first three months of probation, and a third member of staff has just completed their six-month probation. This means there is a lack of experienced staff, in addition to weak leadership and management.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Management oversight of care and safeguarding arrangements is still inconsistent. One child’s risk management plan is not up to date to support staff to understand their current risks. For example, the plan still refers to risks of play fighting between the child and another child in the home. However, at the time of this visit, the child was the only one living in the home and had been for nearly a month. Also, the child’s bedroom door is alarmed without this being properly assessed as necessary.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The child has been settled since the last visit. Their social worker spoke positively of the communication between themselves and staff in the home. The child’s school also said that while they have had concerns about support offered to the child by staff in relation to homework, this had started to improve in the previous two weeks, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 3 and the child was chosen as ‘reader of the week’ in school recently. This represents positive progress for them in their educational attainment.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Managers are not ensuring that staff have sufficient guidance to ensure the safety of the child online. While there have not been any safeguarding incidents since the last monitoring visit, the management of potential known risks relating to online safety is not fully effective. Guidance provided to staff by managers is not clear, and the child spends long periods of time online without staff offering good supervision. This leaves the child vulnerable to being exploited or at risk of further repeated harm. This has not been picked up on by leaders in their monitoring of care.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, no consequences have been recorded for children. However, following one incident, an appropriate natural consequence was given to a child to repair a relationship with someone they had upset. This was managed supportively by the staff team but was not captured effectively in the home’s records. This meant the effectiveness of the consequence was not evaluated or signed off by managers. This demonstrates the requirement under regulation 19 is not yet fully met.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Ofsted has issued the provider with a further notice of restriction of accommodation. This will be reviewed with the provider at a further monitoring visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/07/2021 Full Inadequate 19/12/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 5

p.4

Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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

p.5

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)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated. 26 March 2023

p.5

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. (Regulation 19 (1))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that consequences are not excessive, and that they are recorded and reviewed effectively.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated. 26 March 2023

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— 26 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 6 there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

is an organisation or a partnership; does not satisfy regulation 28; or

p.6

Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that reasonable steps are taken to appoint a manager and that they submit their application to register.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Fiona Roche, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 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 looked after children, 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