Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 1 SC415710 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 home is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since April 2023.

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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: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted carried out a full inspection on 26 and 27 June 2023 and the home was judged to be inadequate. A notice restricting accommodation was issued for a period of 12 weeks. The notice restricting accommodation has been adhered to and two children are currently living at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2023 Full Inadequate 29/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/01/2022 Full Good 08/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 3

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improvement to be good

Children say that they like living at the home. Staffing at the home is relatively stable, which has allowed children to build consistent and good relationships with staff.

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improvement to be good

Not all children have clear education plans. For one child, they are achieving and attending school daily. Staff are proud of the child’s progress and celebrated with the child when they received an award for being ‘pupil of the year’ at the end of the last school year. For the other child, education is limited, and they are not attending school. Staff try to support the child to complete educational worksheets at the home, but this is not taking place consistently. The inspector observed the child not leaving their bedroom until late afternoon. Subsequently, there is very little structure to the child’s routine during the day and they are not motivated by staff to be up and ready to engage in any level of educational activity.

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improvement to be good

One child is due to leave the home. This is due to staff not being able to meet the child’s needs in the short or long term. The child regularly goes missing from the home, which is disruptive and impacts on the other child who lives at the home. There have been incidents when the child has copied the other child’s behaviours in the home. This child’s social worker told the inspector ‘My only concern is the influence of the other child currently at the home. [Name of child] is easily led.’

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are met and are understood by staff. Children are supported to attend health appointments. When children have struggled with their emotional health, input and support have been put in place. One child is now accessing play therapy. The home has access to therapy input from a mental health practitioner. This has been accessed and staff have received consultations and resources to help support children at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children have now started to attend clubs and groups for activities that they are interested in. Children’s views are listened to when they want to explore other areas of interest. One child has expressed that they want to be part of a local football team. Staff are looking to identify a local team for the child to join.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to spend time with their family. One child has been supported by staff to visit their local home area for five days. They were able to see their family and their friends and explore their home area. This was successful and positive for the child, and there are plans for this take place in future school holidays. Staff understand the importance of this for the child. The child has photos of their family in the home and memories of the trip have been captured. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 4

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improvement to be good

There has been an increase in missing-from-home incidents for one child. Staff are following the missing-from-home protocol in place and actively look for the child when they are missing. There has been an improvement in multi-agency working with the local authority, police and the missing-from-home coordinator. This has allowed professionals to share information and plan support for the child.

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improvement to be good

All staff who work at the home have received additional training in safeguarding, child sexual exploitation and children who go missing. Staff understand the risks that are present for the children in the home and what actions they need to take to safeguard children.

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improvement to be good

Risk documents and plans are individualised to the children in the home. The risk plan is lengthy and grading of risks is not consistently in line with information gathered. The risk plan does not always include all the actions and measures in place, and this information is found in other documents and plans. This makes it difficult for staff to know what support measures are in place and what actions need to be taken.

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improvement to be good

The management team is fully aware of the risks to the children at the home in the local area. This has included concerns that shops have been actively selling underage goods to the children at the home. The management team has reported this to trading standards and has also alerted local police. The safe area report is regularly updated and reflects the risks.

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improvement to be good

Expectations of children’s behaviour in the home are not consistent. An incident when a child damaged the wall of the stairs did not result in any action. Children need to have the opportunity to reflect on incidents with staff and to learn from these.

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good

The registered manager continues to receive support from the company peripatetic manager. This additional support has allowed the management team to review home documents and make changes. This has resulted in children’s plans now being personalised and up to date. Children’s local authority plans are requested and for most children are held on file.

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good

Having a management team in place at the home has also allowed timely progress and reviews of incidents. There is improved management oversight, and actions identified from incidents are progressed.

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good

Supervision for staff is not consistent and some supervision records are poor. While supervision takes place monthly, staff do not always have opportunities to reflect on practice or discuss the children in the home. Staff are not receiving copies of their Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 5 supervision records. A supervision session that is recorded as taking place has no supervision document to review. Staff appraisals are not evidenced as taking place. This is a missed opportunity to review and identify any additional training needs for staff.

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good

The registered manager does not always consider fully the impact of their decisions on the needs of the children. During the inspection, the registered manager agreed for staff to support a child to buy a small pet. This decision was made on the spot without any wider consideration. The registered manager had not given thought to the impact this may have on the child. The child is due to leave the home and may not be able to take a pet to their new home.

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good

Allegations relating to staff are investigated and appropriate referrals are made to the local area designated officer. However, not all investigations consider the child’s voice. An investigation into an allegation against one member of staff was concluded before the child could speak with their social worker about the allegation. This had been identified as an action as part of the investigation. This was a missed opportunity for the child’s voice to be heard and considered.

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good

Monthly team meetings take place, where staff discuss practice. The management team ensures that research and learning are explored and embedded by utilising a quick-fire quiz. A member of staff told the inspector, ‘Team meetings are effective, and staff can share their views. Feedback is taken on board by the managers.’

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good

Staff do not consistently capture children’s views in their plans and direct work sessions. Children do not have opportunities to provide regular feedback on the care and support that they receive. This is a missed opportunity for the management team to review the support being provided to the children and make changes if required. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 27 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 7 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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 the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(g)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the registered manager’s decision-making is based on the child’s needs. Children must have the opportunity to speak to professionals about incidents before investigations are concluded. 27 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; 27 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 8 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff receive quality supervision which provides opportunities to reflect on their practice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can identify signs that children may be at risk. Risk plans for children need to be clear on the risk and seriousness of this happening. Staff should encourage children to express their views about whether they feel safe inside and outside the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)  The registered person should have high expectations of standards of behaviour for all staff and children in the home. These standards should be clear to children. Positive behaviour should be reinforced, praised and encouraged, poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed with children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11)  The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as living documents, supporting them to view and contribute

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Recommendations

to records and plans in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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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: SC415710 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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Inspector

Tracey Sykes, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 10 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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