Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457923 1 SC457923 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 is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC457923 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2022 Full Good 11/06/2019 Full Good 18/10/2018 Full Good 29/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC457923 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children currently live in the home. Children are provided with stability and receive care from a consistent, caring staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access education full time and are making good progress. When children experience difficulties at school, the manager works with the education staff to create alternative strategies and advocates for children to have additional support and assessments. This helps to ensure a shared approach when responding to learning needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy taking part in hobbies and a range of activities, including football clubs, Brownies and Scouts. The staff ensure that these memories are captured in their photo books and children enjoy looking at these and remembering their experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff develop trusting relationships with children. Children talk openly about their wishes and feelings and contribute to their care planning. This supportive environment has enabled children to explore their identities and to develop self- confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are aware of the importance of families and friends. Staff encourage children to spend time with friends and take children who live at a distance from their homes to see their loved ones. Recently, the manager has introduced weekly calls with a child’s parent to provide updates on care. This helps children to maintain relationships that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is furnished and decorated to a good standard. The children have personalised bedrooms and enjoy spending time in the home’s games room, which has arts and crafts materials and dressing-up outfits. There are plans for additional refurbishment work. The environment encourages children to feel comfortable.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff understand the children’s known risks. Children’s risk assessments provide clear guidance for staff about how they should respond to known behaviours. In addition, when appropriate, the manager shares assessments with external professionals to ensure a coordinated response to vulnerabilities. This means that staff are informed and competent when responding to risk.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Physical interventions are not regularly used in this home. When restraint has taken place, this has been proportionate and both staff and children have been provided with the opportunity to share their feelings. However, the manager has not ensured that the recording of the intervention includes the time the intervention started. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457923 4 Staff use incentives effectively. Children are excited by a reward system where they receive arcade tickets for acts of kindness and swap these for presents. Furthermore, consequences used in the home are appropriate. The staff respond to negative behaviours by educating children about their choices. This motivates children to understand behaviours and make positive choices in the future.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When concerns have been raised about the behaviour of staff, swift action has been taken by managers to address the concerns. However, on two occasions, although investigation activity took place, the manager could not provide evidence that the child was provided with a formal outcome in response to the concerns. This makes it difficult to understand whether the child was aware of or satisfied with the process.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children’s health is improving. Staff consult with health professionals when changes are required, for example changing the dose of medication. In addition, staff support children to attend specialist appointments.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children live in a safe environment. Regular health and safety checks take place. The children’s bedroom doors are alarmed at night. The manager has not ensured that the monitoring systems are assessed individually. This is a missed opportunity to reflect on children’s needs and risk.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The home’s recruitment and vetting process helps ensure that all staff working in the home are suitable to work with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is enthusiastic, committed and passionate about the care that children receive. The manager knows children well and understands their individual needs. This is echoed by feedback from staff, who speak positively of the manager’s leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are well-established working relationships with a range of professionals. The managers work closely with social workers, education and health professionals and safeguarding agencies. Feedback received indicates that communication is effective and that children are making progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place monthly. This encourages sharing of information and supports consistency of practice. In addition, the manager completes themed workshops, which include policy reviews. This gives staff the opportunity to learn from each other and promotes an open culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the importance of a skilled workforce. The manager has ensured that all staff are up to date with mandatory training. In addition, the manager has sourced training to help the staff understand the specific needs of the children. This supports professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of the individual supervision that staff receive is variable. The manager has not ensured that all staff members working in the home have been provided Inspection report for children’s home: SC457923 5 with practice-related supervision. For example, some staff have not received supervision for four months. This is a missed opportunity to review staff practice and for staff to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. During the inspection, the manager explained how she would rectify shortfalls found, and was enthusiastic about her plans for further development. There is a continuous drive from the manager to improve children’s experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457923 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that children understand the steps taken to investigate and respond to complaints made against care staff. 20 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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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)(b)(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. 20 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept and enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends emerge. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that any monitoring equipment has a written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living and working in the home, in accordance with regulation 24. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16) Inspection report for children’s home: SC457923 7

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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: SC457923 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: 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: SC457923 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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