Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Somerset

Inspection report for children's home: SC457327 1 SC457327 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

The home was registered in February 2013 and provides care for up to three children with emotional and behavioural needs. It is owned and managed by a large national organisation. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 24 May 2023.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC457327 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/05/2022 Full Inadequate 20/04/2021 Full Good 28/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC457327 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in this home receive high levels of care and affection from a nurturing and skilled staff team. Staff understand children’s needs and provide individualised approaches to their care, such as making children’s favourite foods, arranging their preferred activities and adapting their approaches to best help each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well decorated and the registered manager has made further improvements to ensure soft furnishings and the paint colours provide a bright and relaxed environment. Staff and children are working together to improve the garden area by painting the decking and planting vegetables and flowers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made significant progress with their education, social skills and general well-being since moving in. One child who had not attended education for a significant period before moving in is now attending school full time. They plan to attend college this year. Another child has also been well supported to return to education. However, further partnership working and planning is required so that the child has the appropriate provision to meet their needs, to enable them to resume full-time education as swiftly as possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children’s relationships with family and friends. They encourage children and support them practically to visit family and friends to help maintain these important links. Staff also welcome children’s friends into the home to eat with them and spend quality time together, which was observed during this inspection.

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

Staff respond effectively when there are any safeguarding concerns for children, including when they are missing from home. Staff talked confidently about how they keep children safe and were able to demonstrate good professional curiosity. Managers have thorough oversight of records of incidents and reflect with staff afterwards to help strengthen practice and learning.

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

Children said they feel safe living at this home and are able to talk to staff about their feelings. Since the last inspection, children have not made any complaints and there have been no incidents of restraint. Comprehensive behaviour management plans and risk assessments support staff in responding to children’s individual behaviours or incidents of self-harm or going missing, to help keep them safe.

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

There have been two incidents of a child going missing from home since the last inspection. Staff responded appropriately during and after the incident. They provided a warm welcome on the child’s return. Staff’s relationships with the child resulted in the child telling them where they had been and their experiences, to help reduce future risks. The child refused to participate in one return home interview Inspection report for children's home: SC457327 4 and neither return home interview was timely, to help staff understand the child’s experiences while away from the home.

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

One minor complaint has been made by a neighbour since the last inspection, about parking. This was dealt with promptly and respectfully by the manager to prevent escalation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirement and recommendation made at the last inspection have been met. The manager has recently registered with Ofsted. The manager is supported by a skilled and dedicated deputy team manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and spoke positively about managers’ open-door approach. They enjoy working at the home and appreciate being listened to. Records of supervision are comprehensive and demonstrate reflections about practice and actions to improve staff skills and raise standards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a wide of range of mandatory and specialised training to equip them with the skills and knowledge to meet children’s needs. Social workers spoke positively about the care provided and told the inspector that staff work in partnership with them to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that staff benefit from regular team meetings that focus on children’s routines and day-to-day care. Meetings are used to address any issues with practice and to make sure staff are supporting each other in the running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment practices are effective, including in relation to recruiting staff from overseas. The manager and responsible individual are appropriately supporting and mentoring new staff and providing additional staffing levels to meet children’s needs during this time. The manager is conscious of the importance of having skilled and stable staff and of involving and considering all children’s needs before another child moves into the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC457327 5

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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, The 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(vii)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure an appropriate provision is swiftly identified to meet a child’s needs, including a clear plan and support in place to resume full-time education as soon as possible. 7 July 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 9.30) Inspection report for children's home: SC457327 6

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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: SC457327 7

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicola McClements

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC457327 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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