Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Devon

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 1 SC457132 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

The home is owned by a national provider of children’s homes and provides care and accommodation for one child. The provider states in its statement of purpose that care is provided for children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is currently vacant.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/07/2019 Full Good 14/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 3

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improvement to be good

The adults in the home succeeded in developing a relationship with the child when they initially moved to the home. The child reports that they like living at the home, and they have made some progress with their self-care skills and independent living skills, particularly cooking. However, the child lacks clear boundaries and structure. The child has not gained a sense of belonging and has recently become detached from the staff. The child is frequently going missing from the home, and these incidents are increasing.

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improvement to be good

The newly appointed manager has made the decision that the staff are unable to keep the child safe at the home. The child’s placing authority have been given notice to find the child an alternative home that will be able to meet their complex care needs.

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improvement to be good

The child arrived at the home on an emergency basis five months ago. Therefore, an educational placement was not in place. Due to drift and delay by managers at the home who have not been proactive and the lack of action by the placing authority, the child has not benefitted from attending full-time education for six months. A home tutor has been appointed on a part-time basis, and the home has been providing educational opportunities for the child during this time. The newly appointed manager has now found a full-time placement at an appropriate school. However, the child has missed out on the routine of school and opportunities to make friends.

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improvement to be good

The adults ensure that the child attends medical appointments to promote their physical health. The child does not eat a healthy diet and eats too much junk food and unhealthy snacks. Effective strategies are not in place to promote healthy eating. The child has therapeutic sessions with the company therapist once a week. However, a referral to specialist mental health professionals has only just been undertaken so that the child can obtain the necessary support that will meet their complex emotional health needs.

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improvement to be good

The child enjoys a variety of activities, including army cadets, youth club and fishing. They are supported effectively by the adults to visit their family, who live many miles away. The child’s parents comment that since the new manager took over, communication from the home has improved, and they now receive regular updates about their child.

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improvement to be good

The child reports that they feel safe living at the home and can speak to all the adults if they feel worried or upset. However, behaviour management plans do not Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 4 always contain clear and creative strategies to support the child. There is a lack of management oversight of incidents to inform learning for staff and identify potential trends and patterns of behaviours to inform plans.

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improvement to be good

The child is praised for positive behaviour and receives support to help them learn from their mistakes. However, on some occasions, the child is receiving inconsistent messages from the staff. For example, the child was told they were not able to keep pets following repeated incidents involving animals. The child was then told they could keep a goldfish as an incentive for positive behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Routines in the home do not always run smoothly. The child sometimes stays up late at night, goes missing from the home or disturbs neighbours. There are no documented strategies of how to manage these behaviours.

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improvement to be good

The child is frequently going missing from the home, and these incidents are increasing. Missing-from-home procedures are followed. For example, the adults do follow the child and search the area when they go missing. There is effective liaison with the police and youth intervention professionals. However, there is a lack of professional curiosity about where the child is, what they are doing and what the triggers are for them going missing. The acting manager, who was appointed two weeks ago, has a plan to improve the home’s response to missing-from-home incidents by demonstrating professional curiosity and re-engaging the child.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding incidents are promptly reported to the relevant safeguarding professionals, and appropriate action is taken in response to any allegations or complaints. However, assessments of risk lack detail and clarity. Two identified and assessed risks have been incorrectly documented as low risk when the risk level is clearly high.

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improvement to be good

Staff recruitment procedures are robust and ensure that only suitable people are employed in the home.

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good

The previous registered manager resigned on 8 June 2023. An experienced manager has been appointed. The immediate and positive impact of her appointment is evident. She has undertaken an audit of the home’s practice and made effective changes that are improving practice. The home now has effective leadership and management. The new manager has plans to immediately supervise the adults, who have not received formal, reflective supervision for five months. The new manager has plans to change the culture of the home through rigorous training and supervision.

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good

The adults have received all their mandatory training, such as safeguarding, first aid and physical intervention. The staff team is consistent, and many of them have worked at the home for a long time. If there is staff absence, then other staff will cover shifts to ensure continuity for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 5 Quality monitoring processes in the home have not been effective. The independent visitor has raised concerns about practice in the home following her visits, but these have not been addressed by leaders and managers. The home’s current development plan is unclear and is currently being rewritten by the new manager.

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good

The home is clean and tidy and provides a homely environment for the child. It is well equipped with books and games. The child’s bedroom is personalised and reflects their interests and hobbies. The upstairs of the home has sustained damage, which has not been completely repaired. This detracts from the appearance of the rest of the home that is well decorated and maintained. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 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 registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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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

that staff help a child who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support and to return to school as soon as possible.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(viii)) 18 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who−

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)) 18 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 7 This specifically refers to leaders and managers ensuring that the children benefit from healthy and structured daily routines.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, to ensure that the aims of a child’s placement are clearly documented in their plans, along with how these plans will be achieved and document their planned timescales.

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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;

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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 psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 18 July 2023

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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

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 18 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 8

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that in order for the children’s home to be a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. In particular, that the home is well maintained and that any damage is promptly repaired. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC457132 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicola McClements

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Inspector

Tina Maddison, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC457132 10 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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