Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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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 operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged as inadequate at the full inspection on 25 May 2023. Following the full inspection, three compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

These related to regulation 12, the protection of children standard; regulation 13, the leadership and management standard and regulation 35, behaviour management policies and records.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to monitor the provider’s progress towards meeting the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding practice has not improved sufficiently. Staff do not act in line with the child’s risk and behaviour support plans. The manager has reviewed records relating to safeguarding incidents and identified areas of poor practice. However, the manager has failed to ensure that learning from these incidents is shared with the staff team. As a result, staff practice is not being developed, and the care provided to the child is not improving.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not have the skills or knowledge to de-escalate challenging behaviour effectively. Staff have failed to implement the agreed strategies to support the child during periods of crisis. Incidents have escalated and resulted in the police attending Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 2 the home to manage the child’s behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, there have been further changes to the staff team. This has affected the continuity of care for the child. Staff supporting the child from homes operated by the same provider have not read the child’s relevant plans. This compromises their ability to provide safe and effective care to the child.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has reviewed the child’s risk management plans. Some risks are now clearly assessed, and practical steps taken by staff have resulted in some risks reducing. However, the manager has failed to update the child’s risk management plans when risks have changed or new risks have emerged. Therefore, staff are still not provided with detailed strategies to follow to safeguard the child.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements and recommendations which were made at the previous inspection were not considered at this monitoring visit and have been restated.

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This monitoring visit

It was determined at a case review that the provider has not made sufficient progress towards meeting the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Following the case review, the provider confirmed that the home will temporarily close. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/05/2023 Full Inadequate 28/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2021 Full Inadequate 19/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are provided with clear risk assessments that outline the risks to the child and the strategies that staff must use to reduce risks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that staff take effective action, which is in line with the risk assessments, to safeguard the child. 1 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 5 The registered person must ensure that staff understand the actions they must take to report any issues with staff conduct or practice.

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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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must improve oversight of significant incidents in the home to ensure that any areas of concern with safeguarding or behaviour management practice are addressed.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, the registered person must ensure that children are receiving appropriate supervision from staff that helps to reduce risks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that staff have the skills and experience to manage children’s complex needs and behaviours. 1 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 6 The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(v)(vii)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all restraints are recorded in line with regulation.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, the registered person should explore the child’s feelings about the use of the measure. 1 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and 1 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 7 children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that children receive medical attention when they are injured in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; 1 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 8 are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(ix)(x) (xi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the registered manager receives supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, the registered manager must ensure that staff receive regular supervision, in line with the statement of purpose, which supports the development of good practice. 1 September 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 2542813 9

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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

Emma Thornton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2542813 10 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 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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