Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2661512 1 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 children’s home is owned by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care for one child with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post.

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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: 16 November 2022

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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: 2661512 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2661512 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. The child said they are happy, feel safe and have a trusted adult they could speak to if they had any worries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made significant progress. They are attending college full time. The staff and leaders value the child’s education and have been proactive in supporting them to achieve positive outcomes. The child has aspirations for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child receives care from a committed staff team, who know the child well. The risks have reduced for the child as they have been able to build trusting relationships with staff which underpin the progress they make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to maintain positive relationships with their family. This means that the child maintains their family identity and is able to have relationships with people who are important to them. However, there was a delay in consulting with the local authority for the child to safely see their family following an incident. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are clear health plans in place for the child. They are registered with local health services. There has been a significant reduction in the child’s incidents of self- harm. The staff team has regular consultations with the in-house mental health practitioner and child and adolescent mental health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is engaging in positive activities and hobbies. Staff promote the child’s individual interests and are keen to introduce them to new experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s social worker was positive about the support the child gets to develop their independence skills. The child has a detailed independence plan for them to learn necessary skills as they move into adulthood.

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

Staff know the child well and have built trusting relationships with them. They are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and how to keep children safe. They know what to do in a range of different safeguarding scenarios. This means that the child feels protected.

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

Risk management plans clearly identify risks and vulnerabilities and actions to reduce risks. These plans are supported by a detailed behaviour management plan. Staff use their positive relationships with the child to de-escalate situations, in line with these plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2661512 4 Since moving into the home, the child has had sensors on their bedroom door as a safeguarding measure. Leaders and managers have not regularly reviewed or evaluated with the placing local authority the need for the alarm.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted and consequences are not used. There are clear house rules and boundaries in place. This provides clear and predictable care for the child.

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

The child has regular opportunities to share their views about the home and the care they receive. They are aware of the complaints procedure and have used this when they are unhappy about issues in the home. The manager failed to respond to a complaint following the child sharing this in their monthly meeting.

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

Safe recruitment procedures are in place for new staff. This means that the child is protected from unsuitable adults being employed to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the management arrangements. There is an interim manager in post, who has submitted her application to register with Ofsted. She is supported by a capable deputy manager who shares the same aspirations for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with regular supervision and annual appraisals. Staff say that the interim manager is approachable and has an open-door policy. Team meetings are well attended and provide a forum for staff to share their views, reflect on practice and develop their knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have undertaken a range of training, including mandatory training which is based on the needs of the child. Staff hold relevant childcare qualifications. New staff are enrolled on the training for the relevant qualification after they have completed their probation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals and family members speak highly of the interim manager and the staff team, who work collaboratively with them. The social worker for the child said the team is consistent, which has improved the child’s self-worth. She said, ‘I wish we had found the home two years ago. The trust [name of child] has built with staff is significant.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The external monitoring of the home is good. The role of the independent visitor is valued, and leaders and managers use feedback well. However, the independent visitor does not consistently get feedback from the child. A recommendation has been made to address this. Inspection report for children’s home: 2661512 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 registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that door alarms on children’s bedrooms are regularly reviewed for their suitability. 12 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1) (3))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any complaint made by the child is acted on and investigated without delay. 12 October 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. Specifically, the registered person should ensure that the independent person makes arrangements to visit the home to enable them to regularly consult with children, 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 staff understand what the placing local authority has recorded in the relevant plan as an appropriate level of contact for Inspection report for children’s home: 2661512 6 the child with their family. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.3)

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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: 2661512 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

Helen Fee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2661512 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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