Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 1 SC476270

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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 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 social difficulties and may have experienced trauma.

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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 started working in the home. They have applied to register.

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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.

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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.

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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 The manager at the time had withdrawn her application to register.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 the safety of children. As a result, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice on 22 November 2022 to prevent any further children moving into the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 2 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

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This monitoring visit

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.

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This monitoring visit

On 13 February 2023, Ofsted conducted a further monitoring visit to review the previous requirements and the restriction of accommodation notice. Shortfalls were identified in the management oversight and the safeguarding of children online. Management arrangements remained unstable. No manager was yet working in the home, and the staff were inexperienced and low in number. As a result, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice for a second time.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was completed to review the previous requirements and the provider’s adherence to the restriction of accommodation notice. The provider has adhered to the notice.

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This monitoring visit

The same child has resided in the home since the previous inspection. The child has remained settled since the previous visit and is attending school regularly, making educational progress. For example, they have recently acquired a functional skills qualification in maths. Their social worker informed the inspector that they are satisfied with the care the child is receiving in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Management arrangements have improved since the previous monitoring visit. There is now a new manager appointed in the home, and they have applied to register with Ofsted. One staff member has spoken positively of her support and described her as ‘probably the best manager I have ever had’. The requirement previously issued under regulation 27 is now met.

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This monitoring visit

The manager’s monitoring and reviewing of care remains inconsistent. For example, the manager and senior leaders continue to complete regular monthly audits of the quality of the safeguarding arrangements for the child. However, these audits have not identified ongoing shortfalls in the guidance provided to staff to help them keep the child safe when in the community. For example, one child has started enjoying free time out of the home over the last month, but staff are not clear about who the child spends his time with or where they are permitted to go when they go out. This information is not captured in the child’s plans. This prevents the team from fully ensuring the child’s safety outside of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are still not ensuring that staff have sufficient guidance to ensure the safety of the child online. Shortfalls identified in the guidance given to staff in the previous visit remain. Staff supervision of the child’s use of their phone safely has improved. However, supervision of the child while they are online has been poor since the last monitoring visit. The new manager has begun devising plans to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 3 improve this with the team. However, these proposed changes are not yet reflected in practice, so their effectiveness cannot be evaluated.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, staff have engaged the child in increased direct work. The new manager is supporting the staff team to involve the child in more meaningful discussions and is helping them use a more encouragement-focused approach to their care. The child has been given several rewards since the last inspection and no consequences have been issued. This means that the requirement under regulation 19 has now been met.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing numbers and the consistency of staffing in the home is still poor. Three permanent staff have left since the previous inspection visit one month ago, and there are now only a total of four permanent staff working in the home. Two of these are new. Senior leaders are aware of this issue and are working to recruit staff. However, this means there is a continuation of inexperienced staff caring for the child.

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This monitoring visit

The requirement under regulation 13 remains in place, in addition to the notice of restriction of accommodation. Ofsted will monitor the provider’s adherence to the restriction in a further monitoring visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 4

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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

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Statutory requirement

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 with the given timescales.

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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

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;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated. 8 May 2023

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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: SC476270 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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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

Fiona Roche, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476270 7 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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