Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 1 SC456729 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 is owned and operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who may be experiencing social and emotional issues.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2019.

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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: SC456729 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2022 Full Good 24/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, there were two children living in this home. Both children say that they feel supported and cared for. One child said, ‘I wouldn’t change anything about living here. It’s perfect, it’s home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is promoted and prioritised. When children are out of education, staff work hard to support their education at home. Staff advocate well for children to ensure that realistic plans are made to help them back into school. When in school, children are supported to have good attendance and achieve their academic goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and prioritise children’s physical and mental health needs. They quickly register children with local health services when they move in. If children need any specialist support, staff immediately make links with local services and ensure that children do not experience any gaps in healthcare. Children are in good health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Attempts have been made to create a homely environment for children. There are some photos and mementos displayed around the home and children have been able to personalise their bedrooms to some extent. However, there is damage to paintwork, carpets and flooring which detracts from the overall homeliness of the property.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience a range of activities outside of school. One member of staff said, ‘You are only with them [the children] for 24 hours at a time. Why not try your best to make that the best 24 hours you possibly can?’ Staff keep souvenirs and photos to document children’s leisure activities. Children said that they have fun.

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

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They know what to do in a range of different safeguarding scenarios and know how to keep children safe. Children feel protected.

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

Children rarely go missing from home. There is a robust missing-from-home protocol in place, which is always followed by staff. This means that when children do go missing, there is a coordinated response and they are quickly returned home safely.

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

Children form trusting relationships with staff and can identify people they feel safe to discuss their worries with. Children who are struggling with self-injurious behaviours feel safe enough to have open and honest conversations with staff about their experiences. These nurturing relationships have helped children better understand risks and to develop more positive strategies to keep themselves safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 4 Allegations are handled appropriately to safeguard children from harm. Information provided by children is always treated sensitively and children’s views are taken seriously. Allegations are investigated robustly and children receive clear feedback about outcomes.

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

Staff and carers manage challenging situations consistently. Children are given clear and consistent boundaries by the adults caring for them. This means that they understand the rules and expectations. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

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

Staff have held children to keep them safe. Staff are appropriately trained and only use restraint as a last resort. Records are detailed, children have a thorough debrief and their views are recorded. This approach helps to protect positive relationships between children and the adults looking after them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager leading this team. The manager understands the needs of the children and has high aspirations for what they can achieve. She leads her team in supporting the children to reach their goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular child-focused supervision and appraisal. They are given the opportunity to discuss a range of topics, such as issues they are experiencing, their relationships with the children and their personal development. Useful actions are set and then reviewed at each meeting. Leaders and managers have good systems in place for formal review of staff performance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and useful training. They undertake both generic training and bespoke courses which help them to understand the specific needs of the children they are caring for. The skills and expertise of staff are improved through the range of training they complete.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of information recorded in children’s files has improved since the last inspection. Staff record information which is helpful to children. However, there continue to be errors in written records which management oversight has not identified. A requirement in relation to this is restated from the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent person visits the home each month. To review the quality of care being provided, the visitor gathers the opinions of the children and assesses available information. However, this feedback is limited as input from other important people in the children’s lives, particularly social workers, is rarely gathered. A recommendation in relation to this is restated from the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good systems in place to ensure the continued development and improvement of the service. The manager has completed a robust workforce development plan, which sets out clear direction for staff over the next year. The manager also completes a quality of care review every six months, which identifies areas for improvement. The home’s statement of purpose is also reviewed regularly. However, this update is not always sent to Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 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 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, records must be reviewed by leaders and managers to ensure they are accurate and of good quality. 31 July 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the independent person regularly consults with family members and external stakeholders as part of their assessment of the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a homely and nurturing environment for children. Issues relating to decor and maintenance should be addressed in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 6  The registered person should develop and keep under review a statement of purpose. This updated document should be sent to Ofsted within 28 days. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: SC456729 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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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456729 8 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 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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