Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 1 SC457068 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 is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has two registered managers. One manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2018 and the second has been registered since February 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

Date of last inspection: 24 January 2023

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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: SC457068 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2023 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Good 07/01/2020 Full Good 18/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. One child has lived at the home for over a year and the other has lived there for over four months.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are attending school full time. Managers advocate for children to attend alternative provisions when this is required. However, children’s written education plans do not consider all relevant information. For example, one child’s plan failed to consider her exclusions from school. Another child’s plan did not consider her set targets and how staff should support her in meeting these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff develop nurturing relationships with children. Children enjoy spending time with staff and look forward to planned activities together. Both children were excited to tell the inspector of the upcoming activities planned during the school holidays. These include trips to the seaside, horse riding, and going to a planned drama and circus skills group. This is a home where children are encouraged to have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children are registered with local health services and access medical treatment and clinical support when required. Staff also support children to develop self-care skills at a pace that suits them. For example, staff have shown children how to brush their teeth to help them to learn how to do this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into the home are considered for each child. For one child, staff created a detailed transition plan and ensured that they understood her likes and dislikes. In addition, managers ensured that they had all required information from the child placing authority. This practice helps to reduce any anxieties and ensure that staff have the information they need to care for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a warm and welcoming place for children to live. Both children have personalised their bedrooms, which have been painted in a colour of their choice, and they have soft toys proudly on display.

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

The staff and managers have good knowledge and understanding of children’s vulnerabilities, risks and needs. Clearly written plans combined with carefully assessed staffing levels ensure that children receive the appropriate support.

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

The use of physical interventions is proportionate and rare. When physical interventions are used, the staff have a debrief and the children’s views are sought. In addition, the managers review records and reflect on practice with staff. This helps to identify any alternative strategies to support children and guidance to improve practice. Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 4 Since the last inspection, there has been an increase in allegations made by one of the children living in the home. When allegations are made, the manager has ensured that information is swifty shared with appropriate professionals. Furthermore, the manager ensures that the child is informed of the outcome of the concerns they have raised.

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

Despite the managers’ sufficient response to allegations, they have yet to prepare and implement a policy which sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation. While this has had no impact on children’s experiences recently, this shortfall was raised at the previous inspection. As a result, the requirement has been restated.

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

Staff use incentives effectively. The home’s reward structure is individualised and children like swapping their ‘pom-pom’ tokens for a treat of choice. Consequences are used appropriately. Instead of using punitive measures, the managers have introduced a system using key-work sessions to educate children about their choices. This means that children are provided with the opportunity to learn about risks and develop the tools to make better choices.

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

Recruitment processes are thorough and staff who are recruited to work in the home are subject to all necessary checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One of the managers has recently returned to the home from parental leave. There are currently two managers in day-to-day charge of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers and the staff team have a genuine desire for the children to experience positive outcomes. Staff say that they enjoy working at the home and feel valued and supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have completed mandatory training. However, the managers have not ensured that staff have undergone training specific to the needs of the children. For example, not all staff have had training in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . The managers recognised this shortfall during this inspection and have scheduled the training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All new staff have a comprehensive induction. The managers support new staff through regular supervision sessions, and one manager has recently created a learning hub to provide staff with an informal and additional opportunity to reflect on practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have established strong connections with partner agencies. Professionals are unanimously positive about the communication with the staff team and the positive progress children make. Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered managers ensuring that education plans are reviewed and informing staff of the strategies and support that should be offered to children. 29 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and 29 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 6 describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the managers ensuring that there is a clear policy to follow when there is an allegation of abuse.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: SC457068 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

Registered managers: Bryony Jones and Jennifer Lightowler

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Inspector

Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 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 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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