Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Somerset

Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 1 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

The home can provide care for up to five children who have social and emotional needs. Since the previous inspection, three children moved out of the home, including one child during the inspection, and two children moved in. At the time of the inspection, there were two children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 26 May 2023. A new manager started on 14 August 2023. This manager is progressing an application for registration.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is part of a large private organisation. The company employs its own clinical team, also shared by other children’s homes.

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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

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2023 Full Good 29/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/11/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 3

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improvement to be good

There has been some instability in the home since the previous inspection. At different times, the local authorities of two children were given notice for their children to leave, as the previous manager could not be confident that children would be safeguarded. The local authority of a third child was informed during the inspection that following a three-week period of living in temporary accommodation outside of the home, the child could not return to the home. In part, this was due to incompatibility and risk assessments that did not consider thoroughly how the needs of each child could be met alongside others. More recently, the impact of introducing two children in quick succession when one child had lived on her own for several months was a factor in the child being unable to return to the home.

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improvement to be good

For all of the children that left the home, the responsible individual and senior manager identified other homes within the organisation for children to move into, to provide consistency of care and familiarity and to lessen disruption to children.

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improvement to be good

Children who have lived, or live, in the home have made, or are starting to make, relationships with staff. The three children spoken to during the inspection were positive about the home’s staff and manager, and said they feel safe and comfortable with them. Staff strive to demonstrate their commitment and care to children with warmth and humour. They engage children through creative and meaningful gestures and actions. Memory books and positive diaries are compiled for children to help them remember their time in the home. Aside from the emotional support provided by staff, children also benefit from constructive help given by the clinician attached to the home. This help enables children to better understand the impact of their experiences on their day-to-day lives.

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improvement to be good

Some children have successfully started to attend the organisation’s school, having previously not been in education for a long period of time. Family time is encouraged, and staff support children to maintain their links with family and friends.

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improvement to be good

Since the previous inspection, there have been incidents relating to four children who have locked themselves in their bedrooms, denying staff entry. This has led to worries about self-harm, potential sexual assault or sexual behaviours. On three of these occasions, as a last resort, staff appropriately sought help from the police. Two of these incidents happened in the three weeks prior to the inspection. Although staff were unable to stop this happening for a period of time, children did not suffer significant harm during these recent incidents. The responsible individual and current manager have since led sessions on helping staff to understand the Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 4 triggers and prevent situations from escalating. While these bedroom incidents have been taken seriously, there has been a lack of clear instruction and advice to help staff deal with this issue in a practical way.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans and guidance for staff on how to help children achieve their goals are not specific or individualised enough to effectively measure progress or to focus on maximising the opportunity for children to reach their potential. This includes helping children learn how to be safe when using technology and social media. Clarity regarding expectations and timescales is an area identified for improvement.

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improvement to be good

Social workers spoken to recognise the progress children have made in the home, in particular the reduction of episodes of going missing from care. Social workers highlighted the positive support staff have given children to help them flourish.

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good

Since the previous inspection and before the new manager started, there has been some uncertainty caused due to manager and staff changes. To address this in the interim, a registered manager from another home provided consistent support to the children and the team, until the current manager was appointed. Staff appreciate the stable leadership that is now in place with the recently appointed manager and deputy manager. Throughout this time, the home has benefited from an involved responsible individual, who is a strong role model and supports staff to respond to children in an emotionally intuitive way.

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good

Management oversight is starting to improve. While some children’s records indicate management curiosity, there are gaps in oversight, for example of recording or incident reports, and an absence of clear action planning with timescales to increase the quality of care given to children. External scrutiny is provided by an independent visitor monthly, but the quality of the reports submitted to Ofsted is not robust enough in assisting the manager to improve the home.

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good

Staff feedback is positive. Staff said they feel well supported and supervised and are enthusiastic about their role as carers. Regular training enhances this. Staff enjoy looking after and spending time with children and are proud of children’s achievements. Supervision records show support and challenge to staff and focus on children’s needs. Regular team meetings take place, and the team is encouraged to have meaningful discussions. The home environment is well kept and maintained. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe and that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have an effective plan to prevent or manage children locking themselves in bedrooms, and ensure that risk management plans for the use of technology are specific, achievable and measurable. 1 December 2023

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 1 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 6 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular: - ensure that decisions made when admitting children are based on realistic and concise risk assessments that consider how each child’s needs will be met alongside other children’s needs; - create children’s plans that are individualised with clear goals and timescales; - ensure that management review of records is robust and corresponding action plans are effective.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the independent person offers the home sufficient scrutiny and supportive challenge through their report and subsequent recommendations. 1 December 2023

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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) Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 7 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 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

Sarah Canto, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1240802 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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