Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: SC483846 1 SC483846 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 provides care for up to five children who may have social or emotional difficulties. There are currently two children living in the home.

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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:

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 16 and 17 May 2023. Compliance notices were served in relation to regulations 8 and 12. There are currently two children living in the home.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The provider has taken steps to address the shortfalls in safeguarding under regulation 12 and in education under regulation 8.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Compliance notices were successfully met at a monitoring visit held on 4 July 2023. Inspection report for children's home: SC483846 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2023 Full Inadequate 26/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC483846 3

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improvement to be good

There have been some improvements in the home’s appearance. Staff have made some changes to the soft furnishings, and there are now photos of staff and children on the wall. One child’s bedroom had a broken blind, and another child’s bedding was not clean. The home’s communal areas do feel more homely, but the children still need support to keep their rooms clean and tidy.

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improvement to be good

Staff have worked to put routine and structure into children’s lives. They are now linking daily activities to educational outcomes for children. However, neither of the children are regularly attending formal education. This means that they are missing out on formal learning and socialising with peers.

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improvement to be good

The staff group has stayed settled over the last few months. Although this is still at an early stage, the atmosphere in the home feels much calmer. Children are building relationships with some staff members but say that they do not have strong relationships with all the staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff have now had the training to help them meet children’s individual needs. This means that staff are more able to understand children’s behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s contact with their families, which helps them keep a sense of belonging and feel more secure in their identity.

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improvement to be good

One child has left the home during this period, as they have reached adulthood. Staff have supported them to move into their new home. The young person has been back to the home for a meal. This ensures they can maintain some of the relationships they have made in the home.

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improvement to be good

On several occasions, one child has gone missing from home. Staff follow the child’s missing-from-home plan. The manager reviews how each incident is managed. De- spite these steps, the child has continued to go missing. The provider recognises they cannot keep the child safe. This means they have ended the placement.

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improvement to be good

The home has an updated location risk assessment in place. Staff carry out health and safety checks regularly. These include weekly room checks for the children. This means the children live in a safe environment.

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improvement to be good

There have been no incidents of staff physically restraining the children. This shows that staff are effective in managing the children’s behaviour. Inspection report for children's home: SC483846 4 All staff have now received safeguarding training. All staff could explain the whistle- blowing policy. The manager carries out quizzes in team meetings. This ensures that staff have retained the knowledge. Staff know what procedures they should follow to help keep children safe.

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good

The home has not had a registered manager in post since January 2022. There has been an acting manager in post who has now left the company. Currently, another acting manager is in post. The acting manager has now submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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good

Staff receive consistent supervision. Supervision records show that staff reflect on their work with the children. This supports staff to improve the care they provide. Staff are growing in their experience and developing their knowledge and skills to meet the children’s needs.

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good

Staff training is now sufficient for them to care for the children’s individual needs effectively. Staff record-keeping has improved. Staff now have a detailed handover meeting each day. This ensures that all staff are working together in the best interests of the children.

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good

Professionals spoken to say that staff’s communication with them has improved. A social worker said, ‘Staff are more on the ball; they are making more opportunities for [name of child].’ Staff are working together with professionals to improve children’s outcomes. Inspection report for children's home: SC483846 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 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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; and

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)) 6 October 2023

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Recommendations

 The responsible person should ensure that staff build positive relationships with children, which may help children feel cared for and enable them to build warm, trusting relationships. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ paragraph 8.14, page 39)  The responsible person, while respecting the children’s right to privacy, should ensure that children’s bedrooms are accessed regularly by staff in order to support them to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. (The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ paragraph 3.20, page 16) Inspection report for children's home: SC483846 6

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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: SC483846 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

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC483846 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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