Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 1 SC066187 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 children’s home is privately owned. It provides care for up to three children who have social and emotional difficulties due to past trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2014 and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 13 December 2021

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/12/2021 Full Outstanding 27/01/2020 Full Outstanding 19/02/2019 Full Outstanding 13/02/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 3

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outstanding

Children live in a safe, nurturing and homely environment. Children and staff have personalised the home throughout. Vibrant artwork displayed around the home captures each child’s personality. The walls display pictures of children’s favourite films. A map of the world illustrates the many trips and holidays that children experience. The home has a family feel, and it creates positive memories for children. As a result, children feel a sense of belonging and security. They told the inspector that they are happy living in the home, and one child said they think their home is ‘outstanding’.

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outstanding

Three children live in the home. One child has recently moved out, returning to live with their family. There had been a delay in this child’s care plan progressing. The registered manager advocated with tenacity to the highest level for this child. As a result, the placing authority listened to the child’s wishes and feelings. This helped them to make decisions in the child’s best interests. The child’s parent told the inspector, ‘From a parent that has had to put their child into care... they [staff] are a special kind of people. They respected me. We miss them; they were like an extension to our family.’

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outstanding

Children who live in this home have new experiences that promote their self-esteem. These experiences are planned with consideration given to children’s cultural needs. Staff source and attend educational courses with children in the community. Courses are in line with children’s interests and needs, such as courses on how to care for their hair or art classes. As a result, children develop their skills and knowledge, which increases their independence.

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outstanding

Dedicated and skilled staff provide children with stability and security. Children feel loved unconditionally. Staff form trusting and positive relationships with children. One child has had the same key worker since they moved into the home four years ago. Children are able to confide in staff about their worries. They understand that this helps to keep them safe.

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outstanding

Children receive care from a very diverse team. This allows children to flourish in accepting and embracing their own identity. Staff have helped children to learn, for the first time, how to take care of their hair. This includes how to use specialist products to keep their hair healthy. Since living at the home, one child has been to the hairdresser for the first time. Overall, children develop independence and are able to tend to their own personal care needs.

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outstanding

All children engage in education. They are making remarkable progress from their starting points. Children have aspirations and goals. One child was not engaging with their education 12 months ago. At the time, their teacher said that the child’s academic future was a worry. They now speak with pride of how this child is now Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 4 sitting their GCSEs and is hoping to train to be a nurse. They credit the staff for having a positive impact on this child’s motivation. Of the staff, the teacher said, ‘They do what any parent would do. In fact, they do more than some.’ As a result, children aspire to achieve and have opportunities to succeed.

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outstanding

Children grow up experiencing family life. Staff engage in regular activities with children, such as going to the theatre or a concert. Committed staff ensure that children develop hobbies and attend clubs. Children attend classes such as kick boxing, karate, art, gymnastics, swimming and cooking. One child attends the Girl Guides. These experiences increase children’s self-esteem and help them to develop social skills.

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outstanding

The manager and staff are very passionate about forming positive relationships with children. They understand that positive attachments are a protective factor. Staff go over and above to support children to keep in touch with people who are important to them. Staff support children to re-establish their relationships with family members. To do so, staff form positive relationships with children’s family members. They work with them to help them better understand their children’s needs and how to respond to them. This is exceptional practice that improves children’s safety and well-being. As a result, children have positive experiences when spending time with their family.

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outstanding

The safety of children is the top priority in this home. The manager and staff are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. Children’s risk assessments are innovative and thorough. They reflect risk and the strategies that staff must follow to keep children safe. The manager undertakes critical reflection with staff and children after all incidents. They then incorporate any learning outcomes immediately into everyday practice. As a result, safeguarding incidents are few.

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outstanding

Staff help children to be safe online. Excellent internet safety work is undertaken routinely, which is creative and child-focused. The manager and staff respond swiftly when there are concerns about children going online. Appropriate safeguards are in place to monitor children’s internet use. The registered manager works closely with other professionals and parents. This ensures that children receive a consistent response to keeping them safe.

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outstanding

Children benefit from consistent boundaries, expectations and responses from staff. This supports the model of care and the ethos of the home. Research-based practice and problem-solving encourage children to make positive choices. Children have made exceptional progress in developing effective strategies to manage their emotions. As a result, children who previously self-harmed no longer do.

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outstanding

Children write their own care plans, which help them to navigate their therapeutic journey. Staff support them to do so in line with the home’s model of care. They do this by helping children to identify achievable goals. For example, they identify and Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 5 use ‘safe words’ to communicate their feelings. Children review their own care plans and identify when they have reached their goals. They then set new ones. As a result, children grow in confidence and develop a positive self-image.

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outstanding

Staff are sensitive and compassionate. They receive support and guidance from excellent clinical practitioners. As a result, staff are able to help children understand why they are not living with their family. Children develop an understanding of their life story. They are able to process their experiences and deal with the feelings that emerge. This contributes to improving children’s emotional well-being and mental health. As a result, children feel safe and content, and they thrive.

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outstanding

The manager responds immediately and investigates thoroughly any allegations or complaints. If these do occur, staff prioritise the safety and well-being of children. Managers are thorough in their investigations. They are prompt in sharing any learning to inform staff practice. The manager liaises appropriately with external professionals, such as the local authority designated officer. This ensures that there is external scrutiny of safeguarding measures in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and deputy manager are inspirational, forward-thinking and innovative. Their goal is to continue providing children with the outstanding care they receive. They work well together and strive to achieve positive outcomes for children. Realistic but high expectations and rigorous management mean that children thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The team is close knit and very experienced. Staff know the children and their needs well. They speak highly of the manager. They have confidence in the manager, feel well supported and describe them as being ‘amazing’. Staff have regular supervision with the manager, who complements supervision with upskilling sessions. They explore topics specific to their practice and how they can improve, such as with professional boundaries.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is enthusiastic about helping staff to understand children’s behaviour, and particularly how this links to their experiences of trauma. The manager believes this is critical for staff in their role. As a result, staff are empathetic in their approach and committed to the children they care for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager considers thoroughly the learning styles and personalities of staff. They do so by using research-informed personality tools and other attachment- informed theories. This helps to support and encourage staff to be more reflective in their practice, such as by reflecting on how children may perceive how staff respond to them. This encourages staff to become more self-aware. In addition, it helps the manager to match children’s needs to staff skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that staff receive training that is relevant to children’s needs. Staff receive in-house coaching and role modelling by senior staff members. Staff Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 6 evidence their learning in their practice. As a result, staff are continuously improving their practice. This enhances the outstanding care children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have excellent relationships with stakeholders. Professionals gave unanimously positive feedback about the home and the care that children receive. One social worker said that one child had only been living at the home for six weeks. However, they said that the child’s presentation had ‘noticeably improved’. They said, ‘They no longer look down, and they are bubblier.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent monitoring systems and quality assurance processes in place. As a result, they have an in-depth understanding of the home’s strengths and areas of improvement. The manager challenges practice that is not in children’s best interests effectively. They also identify good practice. They share and celebrate this with the whole staff team. Staff encourage and motivate one another by recognising each other’s achievements. As a result, the team works well together and focuses on achieving the best outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The dedicated registered manager has not received an appraisal since 2018. However, this has not impacted on the outstanding care that children receive. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 7

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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 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

In particular, the provider must ensure that the registered manager receives a formal appraisal at least once every year. 18 May 2023

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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: SC066187 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066187 9 regulates and inspects 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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