Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 1 SC478134 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 provides care and accommodation for up to four children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2021 and holds the appropriate qualification.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/05/2021 Full Good 22/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/07/2018 Full Good 18/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 3

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improvement to be good

Children appear happy and relaxed, and the home is well maintained. Children report that they enjoy living in the home. There is evidence of positive relationships with staff. However, widespread failures in the leadership and management of the home were identified during this inspection. These compromise the experiences that children have.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to attend school and have 100% attendance. Children are encouraged to attend after-school tuition and clubs. As a result, children are making progress and learning is promoted.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy a range of enjoyable activities, in and out of the home. They have regular trips out, including going to theme parks, swimming and having horse-riding lessons. They also enjoy attending friends’ parties and spending independent time socialising with friends. These opportunities and experiences help children to develop confidence and feel integrated into the wider community.

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improvement to be good

The children living in the home are in good health. They are supported to attend routine appointments, and the manager advocates for children to receive assessments to identify further needs.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from predictable and clear routines. During the inspection, one child explained to the inspector that every night she enjoys sprinkling fairy dust around her room, which helps her go to sleep. In addition, children enjoy sharing their ‘something good today’ with each other, which provides staff with the opportunity to offer children praise. Children benefit from this consistent approach to care.

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improvement to be good

The manager does not ensure that she consistently records important conversations with professionals. For example, when a child was involved in an incident that led to her being excluded from an activity camp, the manager did not record information given by professionals about their concerns. This means that it is not clear if children are receiving all the support they require to help keep them safe and make progress.

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improvement to be good

When children’s risks change, managers do not always update written plans to inform the staff of the strategies they need to use and when. Staff told the inspector that mobile phone checks for one child should take place each day. This is not recorded as a risk management measure in the child’s plans, and no records were produced during the inspection of the phone checks that have taken place. This Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 4 does not ensure that staff are clear about what the risks posed to children are and what actions they should take should they identify risks.

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improvement to be good

Staff have used physical intervention to support children to manage their behaviours. During one incident, staff did not use a technique that was in line with the home's agreed model of restraint to restrain a child. Furthermore, records of restraint do not always include the time and location of the intervention that has taken place. These shortfalls have not been identified during the manager’s oversight of restraint practice to help improve practice and identify any learning.

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improvement to be good

Children do not go missing from this home. Their positive behaviours are recognised by staff. Children enjoy a range of incentives, including individualised reward charts and frequent praise. During the inspection, one child enjoyed a trip with staff for a special hot chocolate. This creates an environment in which children feel encouraged to make good choices.

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improvement to be good

The manager has failed to ensure that thorough safer recruitment processes are always followed. For example, she failed to identify and consider concerns raised in one staff member’s reference and ensure that a thorough risk assessment took place following concerns raised in another staff member’s Disclosure and Barring Service check.

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improvement to be good

Door alarms are used on the front door of the home at night. There is no assessment in place to ensure that this monitoring is based on children’s needs. In addition, the use of this measure is not clear in the home’s statement of purpose. As a result, the alarms may be being used unnecessarily.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager’s oversight of the home is inadequate. Monitoring and review systems are ineffective, and shortfalls identified at this inspection had not been identified by leaders and managers. This means that the managers do not have a clear understanding of their responsibilities to bring about improvements and meet regulation. During the inspection, managers said that they would respond promptly to the shortfalls identified at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has failed to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are robust. On one occasion, following concerns raised by a child relating to a member of staff, the local authority designated officer was not informed in line with statutory guidance. Furthermore, managers failed to notify Ofsted about allegations made against staff working in the home. This prevents Ofsted from having full oversight of children’s care as a quality assurance mechanism.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff team is stable, which means that the children benefit from consistency. Since the last inspection, staff have received additional training, complemented by additional learning sessions with a mental health practitioner. This gives staff greater opportunity to learn about and understand children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 5 Staff have not received supervision in line with the organisation’s timescales. For example, not all staff in their induction period have received the correct supervision in line with the home’s workforce plan. Not all staff have received an appraisal. This is a missed opportunity to reflect on long-term development needs and does not ensure the competency of staff is adequately assessed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Feedback from external professionals is positive. A social worker, headteacher and police officer spoke of good working relationships with the home and good communication. Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 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 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

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;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to managers ensuring that concerns about staff practice are responded to promptly and that any required actions following investigation are followed. In addition, the provider must ensure that children understand the steps taken to investigate concerns raised against care staff.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that children’s risks are accurately reflected in their written documentation and that risk assessments clearly advise staff how to respond to risk. 3 May 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

promotes their welfare. 3 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 7 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

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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that required monitoring systems are in place and are regularly reviewed and evaluated.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the manager must ensure that children’s written documents evidence discussions that have been held with professionals.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

or a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that records of restraint contain enough information to assess if the measure used was necessary and proportionate. 3 May 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 door alarms are only used as set out in children’s agreed risk assessments and 3 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 8 care plans. In addition, the use of CCTV should be reviewed in line with the home’s monitoring and surveillance policy.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staff’s recruitment records are checked for suitability and that if concerns are raised about a person’s practice, these are explored. 3 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that all staff working in the home receive practice-related supervision and appraisal. 3 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that an investigation takes place when there is a complaint and that the outcome of any investigation is recorded. 3 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if —

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Requirement Due date

there is allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they notify Ofsted of concerns about any staff working in the home. 3 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 9

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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: SC478134 10

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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

Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC478134 11 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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