Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC456846 1 SC456846 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 privately run home offers care for up to three children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 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: 1 November 2022

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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: SC456846 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/11/2022 Full Good 03/11/2021 Full Outstanding 03/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: SC456846 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Four children have lived at this home since the last inspection. One child moved on to semi-independent living. At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have created a relaxed and homely feel for children. The lounge is warm and comfortable, and children enjoy spending time there. Each child’s bedroom is personalised. Children have a pet dog and two cats which the staff help them to take care of. This adds to the family feel. Children seem happy and relaxed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are able to build positive relationships with a stable and consistent staff team. This helps to provide children with a sense of permanence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made significant progress with their education. The staff work well with the local school, which is owned by the same provider. This enables them to provide children with a bespoke education package. One child had been out of full- time education for some time. The staff created a phased plan, beginning with home tutoring and building to full-time school. Staff supported this child at school to begin with, and now the child attends school independently. Two other children are taking GCSEs this year, which is a great accomplishment for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop independent skills through a variety of tasks. This includes cooking, tidying their bedrooms and using public transport. One child recently travelled to London on the train alone after they had had support and a key-worker session to help achieve this. Another child cooked a roast dinner for everyone.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Each child has a variety of incentives to help them achieve in the areas that matter to them. For example, they receive encouragement to brush their teeth, tidy their bedrooms, reduce bad language and build their independence skills. Children understand these targets and their incentives and are making progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children talk about their families, and maintaining these relationships is important to them. The staff understand this and support family visits. They advocate for children when appropriate to increase these visits and they look proactively towards long- term plans. This helps children feel heard. It also ensures they are able maintain these important relationships for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have health plans that provide staff with information about their health needs and appointments. However, one child has not attended an important sexual health appointment. Inspection report for children's home: SC456846 4

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

Children are safer since moving to the home. Their experiences before coming to the home are understood, and this helps the staff to care for them safely. The staff have effective plans and strategies to support children.

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

One child came to the home after experiencing severe exploitation. This child found it hard to engage in education and struggled to socialise at the home. This child is making significant progress in these areas now. Their family, social worker and other professionals provided positive feedback on the child’s progress.

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

A mental health practitioner works alongside the staff. She is able to offer advice and support. She said that the manager is very good at asking for support. This joined-up approach is improving the quality of care that children receive. The staff use a specific parenting model, and this works well for children.

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

Specialist help is made available for children when necessary. One child received some bereavement counselling, which the staff had arranged. Staff have also identified support for children in relation to substance and alcohol misuse, and they have received extra training in this area. Another child has been helped to access specialist mental health support. The extra support helps staff to provide care that is tailored to children’s individual needs.

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

Physical intervention has been used when necessary to keep children safe. The supporting records are descriptive, with good management oversight. However, the children’s views are not captured. Positive behaviour is consistently encouraged and the staff use incentives well. Occasionally, the staff use negative consequences. However, there is no management review of the effectiveness of these, and the children’s views are not clear.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and suitably qualified manager. She works alongside the deputy manager. Together, they make a strong management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager took over at the start of the year, and it is clear to see the improvements that have been made to the management of the home. Children and professionals have described her as ‘firm but fair’. This approach has brought stability to the home which has enabled the children to progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has built good relationships with parents, who provided positive feedback. She also works well alongside external professionals. The manager challenges professionals when necessary and advocates for children. One child had a virtual meeting planned. The child spoke to the manager and said she would like it to be held in person. The manager passed this on to the social work team and the meeting was held at the child’s family home. This was a positive outcome for the child. Inspection report for children's home: SC456846 5 Supervision sessions are regular and help the staff to think reflectively about children. Team meetings are well attended and have a good focus on children. The manager uses this time to provide training and upskill staff. This helps to create a skilled and knowledgeable staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good systems in place that help her to review and monitor the home. Alongside the deputy manager, she uses a quality improvement plan each month to ensure the home is continuously developing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has high expectations for the staff team and this is helping to improve practice. She is committed to making sure children feel this is their home. This is having a positive impact on the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The training offer for staff is very good and they complete a range of relevant training that helps them to support children. However, one staff member has not completed her level 3 diploma within timescales. Inspection report for children's home: SC456846 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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, clearly record children’s views following a measure of restraint. Ensure that consequences include children’s views and the manager’s oversight. 21 December

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. 21 December Inspection report for children's home: SC456846 7 The relevant date is—

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and well- being needs are met. In particular, support children with their sexual health. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)

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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: SC456846 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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Inspector

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC456846 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 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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