Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children's home: 2624711 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 is a privately owned children’s home. The provider states in the home’s statement of purpose that it provides care for up to one child with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is currently not registered with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 2624711 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/06/2022 Full Good 28/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2624711 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 was spoken to by the inspectors and said that they are happy but would like the home to be closer to their hometown.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has positive relationships with staff. They are supported to build trusting relationships with staff who care about them and know them well. The child can name the staff members they would speak to if they had any worries. Inspectors observed warm, nurturing and positive interactions between staff and the child. This helps the child to develop a sense of belonging, which underpins the progress they make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made considerable progress in education. They have achieved the GCSE grades required to enrol at college in September. The staff and leaders value the child’s education and have been proactive in supporting them to achieve positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are clear health plans in place, and the child is registered with local health services. When there have been concerns about the child’s emotional well-being, the interim manager has made referrals to mental health services and the in-house psychologist.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child engages in hobbies and interests that are important to them. They are part of a local football team and swimming club, competing in swimming competitions. Staff go along to support the child when they are competing, and their achievements are proudly displayed around the home.

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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 members and with people who are important to them. One parent said, ‘Everything is going amazing in every way. He is settled, safe and happy. Staff put his needs before anything else.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has the opportunity to contribute to decision-making, and they feel confident in raising any issues or suggestions about their care. They are supported to express their wishes and feelings during regular meetings .

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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 the child safe. When concerns are raised, staff undertake direct work with the child to help them understand the risks posed to them. Inspection report for children's home: 2624711 4 Safeguarding is effective. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans clearly identify the child’s behaviours and provide staff with clear guidance on how to respond to ensure that the child is safeguarded effectively.

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

Since moving into the home, the child has had door alarms 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 alarms, which means that this may be more intrusive than necessary for the child.

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

The child is settled living in home and enjoys spending time with the staff. On occasion, the child has been reported as missing from the home. However, this has been significantly reduced. Individual missing-from-home plans help staff understand the action that they need to take to locate children and keep them safe and the directions to follow.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted in the home and consequences are rarely used. When consequences are used, they are fair and proportionate. There are clear house rules and boundaries in place, which means that the child feels safe and secure living in the home.

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good

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the management arrangements. There is an interim manager in post who has submitted his application to register with Ofsted. The manager has brought positive change, motivation and trust to the staff team, and consequently, the team has stabilised.

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good

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

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good

Staff have undertaken a range of training, including mandatory training. Staff hold relevant childcare qualifications. New staff are enrolled on the training for this qualification following the completion of their probation. However, leaders and managers have not yet revisited with staff their understanding of whistle-blowing, provided training or ensured that staff feel confident in raising safeguarding or practice concerns.

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good

The manager has identified areas for development through monitoring and his evaluation of missing-from-home records. However, these concerns have not been addressed with staff to improve practice. External monitoring of the home takes place regularly. The role of the independent visitor is valued, and leaders and managers use the feedback well. However, visits to the home take place when the child is attending school, which means the child does not have the opportunity to give their feedback directly to the independent visitor. Inspection report for children's home: 2624711 5 Leaders and managers have failed to agree a clear plan with the placing local authority about the level of staff support that the child requires day to day.

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good

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have not taken effective action to address the requirement relating to staff rotas. Rotas are not clear, and there are frequent gaps in staff ratios. This requirement has been restated. Inspection report for children's home: 2624711 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, 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; and

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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 children’s bedroom door alarms are regularly reviewed for their suitability. 28 September

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they have clear agreements in place with the placing authority in relation to the level of staff supervision the child requires and that this is reflected in their care and behaviour plan. 28 September

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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

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; and 28 September Inspection report for children's home: 2624711 7 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.(Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that any practice issues or further development needs for staff are dealt with without delay.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that all staff understand and are confident in their use of the whistle-blowing policy and in reporting concerns without delay.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The provider must ensure that all proposed and actual hours worked by staff and the manager are detailed on the rota.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 28 September

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Recommendation

 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)

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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: 2624711 8

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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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Inspectors

Helen Fee, Social Care Inspector Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2624711 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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