Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Dudley

Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 1 SC472465 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 care for up to five children with complex needs who have suffered early childhood trauma. It is owned by a large organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2022 and is undertaking a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were no 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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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the last full inspection, on 27 and 28 June 2023, a notice restricting accommodation was issued. Two compliance notices, under regulations 12 (the protection of children standard) and 13 (the leadership and management standard), were also issued. Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 2 On 17 August 2023, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit. The purpose of the visit was to review the provider’s progress. The provider had not taken enough action to meet the compliance notices under regulation 12 and regulation 13. Therefore, further notices were issued. Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2023 Full Inadequate 15/11/2022 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Good 11/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 4

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inadequate

There are widespread failures in safeguarding and leadership and management in the home. This hinders children’s experiences and progress. Since the last inspection, three children have moved out.

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inadequate

Children are not supported to have a positive experience when living in the home. Children have moved out of the home due to shortfalls in care practices. One child moved out because the placing authority was not satisfied with the quality of care being provided. Another child moved out due to heightened risks, including exploitation in the local community. The risks for the child had increased since living in the home. Another child’s placement ended in an unplanned way. The child left the home and moved in with their family, despite this not being an agreed plan.

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inadequate

Despite an assessment being completed before one child moved into the home, managers did not ensure that the child had adequate medical equipment. This compromised the child’s safety and welfare. In addition, before the child moved out, staff did not liaise with relevant health professionals to make sure that adequate arrangements were in place to meet the child’s health needs.

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inadequate

Leaders and managers lack an awareness of the risks that children experience in the local area. Since children have moved out of the home, the location risk assessment has not been reviewed to help the manager understand the action that could be taken to make this a safe place for children to live.

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inadequate

Managers and staff fail to provide good care to children and meet their health needs. One child who lived in the home had a complex long-term health condition. The child required a high level of care and support from staff. Staff did not always follow the steps outlined in the child’s health plan or follow the advice of medical professionals. This included not taking appropriate action to supervise the child when administering medication. This could have had a serious detrimental impact on the child’s health. Furthermore, staff had not received adequate training in relation to this child’s health needs.

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inadequate

Despite the identified shortfalls, children were able to have some positive experiences before moving out of the home. Staff held a party for one child and another child went on holiday.

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

Managers and staff do not take appropriate measures to safeguard children. For example, one child went missing from the home after receiving information which caused them a high level of distress. Before the child went missing, staff had not Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 5 supervised the child in line with their risk assessment or recognised that the potential for them to go missing had increased. This left the child vulnerable.

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

Staff do not follow agreed strategies to protect children. For example, one child’s mobile phone was not monitored as agreed, despite known risks of exploitation. Following a disclosure by the child, managers and staff failed to recognise that the risks to the child had increased and did not take immediate action to safeguard the child.

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

Staff do not have the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to children. Some staff do not demonstrate empathy towards children or nurture them. Staff do not implement consistent or appropriate boundaries. For example, one child had their mobile phone taken off them for two days. This was after an incident when the child recorded the staff ‘shouting’ at them. The rationale for removing the mobile phone was unclear. The child’s social worker described the child’s mobile phone as their comfort blanket. Consequently, the child felt confused, frustrated and helpless.

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

Staff fail to explore with children their behaviours which could indicate that they are or have been at risk of harm. For example, one child returned from being missing dressed in different clothes. The home’s quality intervention manager identified this during a learning review. Since then, staff have received training on professional curiosity and having important conversations with children. However, the effectiveness of this training is questionable as one staff member who had attended the training said they still did not know what is meant by professional curiosity.

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

Staff do not consistently support children to safely manage their emotional well- being and mental health. Although staff were aware that a child used self-injurious behaviours as a coping mechanism, the safety factors set out in the care plan were not followed. Staff did not support one child to develop safe strategies to manage their feelings or take appropriate action during a period of crisis. This further highlights the concerns about the staff’s ability to keep children safe.

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

Managers and staff do not share pertinent information with other professionals. They did not share with one child’s new carers that there was an ongoing police investigation. This meant the carers were unable to adequately support the child in relation to this.

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

Some staff are not trained to use physical restraint with children. However, the inspection identified that two staff who had not had appropriate training had physically restrained a child. This is not safe care and is against the provider’s own policies and procedures. Furthermore, physical interventions are not accurately recorded or evaluated. This does not ensure that practice is safe and proportionate to the risk.

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

Medication records are poor and do not reflect the advice and guidance of health professionals. Information does not match what is recorded in children’s risk assessments in respect of medication administration. This compromises children’s safety. Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is not confident in their role and they lack the required skills and knowledge to provide effective oversight of the home. The responsible individual is currently absent from work. In their absence, a quality intervention manager is supporting the registered manager, but this support has not been sufficient to mitigate the shortfalls in the leadership of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not received adequate training. Furthermore, they have not been supported to develop their management skills and knowledge. This means that the registered manager is not able to provide staff with the required guidance and leadership to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home does not have enough staff to care for the number of children it is registered for. As there are no children currently living in the home, staff are working at other homes across the organisation. There is no clear plan in place for when these staff will return to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have received training to improve their knowledge and skills. However, the training has highlighted further shortfalls in some staff practices. Managers are aware of this and plan to take action to provide further training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders recognise that the home is not yet ready to safely care for children. They demonstrate some understanding of the home’s areas for development. Recent audits have informed clear action plans. However, they are not implemented in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to address all the requirements raised at the last inspection. Due to the significant concerns identified at this inspection, Ofsted has issued compliance notices under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). The notice restricting accommodation will also remain in place. Ofsted will continue to monitor the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 7

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 26 November

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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;

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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 26 November Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 8 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons must ensure that managers and staff understand and follow guidance provided by children’s medical and health professionals. This includes the arrangements for administering medication.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, managers and staff must identify ways in which they can help and support children to understand and develop the skills to safely meet their own health needs. 26 November

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 26 November Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 9 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must ensure that the arrangements in place for children to move on from the home are carefully planned, to support a smooth transition. This includes ensuring that children’s belongings are checked before the transition, to be certain that they have everything they need, in particular, any medication or equipment to meet their health needs.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; 26 November Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 10 are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to staff supporting children to explore their emotions and build positive relationships.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to the registered manager ensuring that staff provide clear boundaries and expectations.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to senior managers and the registered manager escalating concerns about the performance of a placing authority and maintaining clear lines of communication with external professionals, particularly when there is drift and delay in children’s care planning. 26 November

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Requirement Due date

A responsible individual must have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The responsible individual must ensure that they have the skills necessary to oversee the management of the home effectively, to identify shortfalls and ensure that action is taken to improve practice and the quality of care provided. 26 November Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 11 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager and staff ensuring that all children’s records are updated and capture the child’s journey. This also relates to the recording of physical intervention.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 26 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report"). (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(c) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager undertaking an evaluative review of the quality of care children receive. In addition, they must put in place a 26 November Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 12 detailed plan of action that reflects all areas for development needed in the home.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is kept under review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: SC472465 13

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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

Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Nurul Kabir, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC472465 14 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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