–

Inspection report for children's home: SC457501 1 SC457501 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide care for up to three children who require support with their emotional and/or behavioural care needs. It is operated by a national provider of children’s homes.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC457501 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/02/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: SC457501 3

p.2

improvement to be good

The children who live at this home are making progress towards their longer-term goals, including building their confidence, having positive family time to maintain connections with their wider support network, and following their interests and hobbies. The children are helped to develop their identity and explore ways that they can become more independent, by taking responsibility for themselves and the tasks that they will need to accomplish in later life. Staff fully understand the impact of the experience’s children have had before moving in, and, with clinical therapeutic support, offer sympathetic and non-judgemental care.

p.3

improvement to be good

In terms of day-to-day opportunities to learn and try new things, the members of the relatively new staff team are yet to have the experience necessary to stretch children and to give them structure to their day. This is especially the case when children are not in education or struggle to motivate themselves. Consequently, children spend too much time in their rooms, organising their own activities and who they spend time with.

p.3

improvement to be good

Two of the three children are in education or training, one of whom is on a part-time timetable. A focus on how to offer education in a formal and informal way is still in development when children are at home. The managers are also aware that evidencing progress requires more attention, and while there are plans in place to improve this, they are in their infancy.

p.3

improvement to be good

All of the children in the home have vulnerabilities that could put them at risk in the wider community. The staff group, with compassionate leadership, supports the children to develop the skills they need to keep themselves safe. This includes identifying relationships that are not positive ones, as well as safely navigating new and more positive friendship groups. When necessary, and in partnership with the children, staff intervene and advocate for children, in school, and with other agencies, including the police. This strengthens the children’s trust in adults that can protect them and opens the door for them to safely talk about what is worrying them. Each of the children have been safeguarded effectively from bullying, potentially exploitative relationships and from unsafe situations.

p.3

improvement to be good

When children go missing, staff proactively look for them, use networks and well- documented lists of friends and family and, in the main, follow safety plans that result in children returning home safely. When this is balanced with children wanting to exercise more autonomy, there are associated risks in terms of keeping in contact with staff and this works well most of the time. On one occasion, this approach was not followed as rigorously as usual, leaving a child vulnerable to harm, Inspection report for children's home: SC457501 4 demonstrating how staff need to be fully consistent, informed and supported when children go missing from home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Restrictions of liberty are not reviewed frequently enough when they have been put in place by agreement with children’s social workers. Although remedied during the inspection, one child has had an alarm/sensor on their bedroom door for longer than necessary.

p.4

good

The now permanent registered manager has successfully recruited a new staff team whose members have been inducted, trained and supported well through a very busy and often difficult few months. The ethos of the home is one of support and strong relationships with the children and staff provide both with an increasing level of confidence. The registered manager has a clear vision of what they expect from the staff and the improvements that are necessary to consistently provide good care to children. Regular monitoring reports and audits are used intelligently to refine the development plan for the home.

p.4

good

The manager is recruiting a deputy in response to a realisation that a full home carries additional administration and oversight. In the interim, recording, supervision and appraisals have all suffered due to demands on time and capacity.

p.4

good

The home is a part of a large organisation. While the registered manager has advocated for improvements to the home, including the driveway and garden, for many months, this has not been actioned by the wider management group. Therefore, the home’s garden and outdoor areas are overgrown and unsafe. As children, and their friends and family approach the home, it is not welcoming and is in disrepair. This was the case at the time of the last inspection. Inspection report for children's home: SC457501 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, that the outside of the home, including the driveway and garden, are kept in good repair, and are made both safe and homely.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.5

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, that supervision is regular and recorded and all staff, including the manager, have a formal appraisal every year. 1 December 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC457501 6

p.5

Recommendation

 Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate that a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

p.6

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: SC457501 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 1AG

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicola McClements

p.7

Inspector

Steve Lowe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC457501 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8