Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Plymouth

Inspection report for children’s home: 2511289 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

This children’s home is operated by a private national company. It is registered to care for two children who may have social and emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in January 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2511289 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/08/2022 Full Good 30/06/2021 Full Good 18/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2511289 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A strength of this home is how well the staff understand the complex needs of the children living there and build trusting relationships with them. Children quickly settle at the home, feel loved and safe and make progress. They thrive in a home where there is plenty of laughter and love.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff use social stories, sign language and pictures to communicate with the children effectively. The staff know the children well. The children gain a sense of belonging, some for the first time following multiple moves of home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The healthcare needs of children are met. Children benefit from healthy and nutritious meals, regular exercise and a healthy sleep routine. The staff ensure that the children are regularly prompted and supported to undertake personal care tasks and then learn how to manage these tasks independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are appropriately placed at schools that meet their educational needs and they are making progress. The staff strongly advocate for children. For example, when it was clear to the manager and staff that one child’s educational needs were not being met at a school, they successfully arranged a move to an alternative school that is able to meet the child’s complex needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into and out of the home are carefully planned. Children generally get on well with each other. This is because the staff are vigilant and work hard to promote positive relationships between the children, so that they learn to share and compromise with each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child will soon be moving to an adult home. The staff understand the importance of equipping children with the independent living skills they will need when they reach 18 or 19 years old and leave the home. Children are supported effectively, for example to learn to shop and cook. However, this is not clearly documented to reflect each child’s progress and what is still to be learned and achieved.

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

Children feel safe living at the home. Behaviour is well managed. The staff model acceptance and give the children consistent messages of love and care. The children are supported effectively to learn from their mistakes and keep themselves safe. The children learn to manage their own behaviour through effective use of specialist behaviour-management strategies that are specifically for children with a learning disability. Due to the progress that one child has made, their support levels are now reduced.

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

Risks are understood and comprehensive assessments of risks and how they will be managed are in place. There has been a reduction in incidents and children do not Inspection report for children’s home: 2511289 4 go missing from the home. One child reported that in their previous home they went missing because they did not feel safe, but they feel so safe at this home they do not feel the need to go missing.

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

The children benefit from clear and consistent boundaries. Any incidents are well managed. The children feel able to tell the staff if they are worried or upset. The staff confidently use the home’s safeguarding procedures and have good working links with safeguarding professionals. The staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities, and they are vigilant and demonstrate professional curiosity to keep the children safe.

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

The staff are rigorously checked to ensure that they are suitable people to be working with children. These checks include right to work checks.

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

The children can explain what action they would take if there was a fire in the home. Health and safety is well managed. Comprehensive assessments of risk and control measures are in place to promote the safety of children

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced and skilled manager demonstrates strong and effective leadership and has a very child-centred approach. She is very well respected by the staff and other professionals. Staff said that they are well supported and supervised. The manager strongly advocates for the children to ensure that they receive the help and services they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback received from professionals, staff and families is very positive. Families commented on the progress that their children have made since arriving at the home, and how staff go above and beyond and are committed to achieving positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is experienced and consistent. Staff benefit from receiving reflective supervision. They are trained in all the topics they need, such as safeguarding and first aid, so that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to provide good-quality care. This training also includes specialist training, for example around how best to work with children with a learning disability. The staff reported high morale in the home and that the home is a positive place to work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff work hard to provide the children with a generally homely and well- decorated environment that meets their needs. There are framed photos of the children and staff throughout the home. The children said that they really like their bedrooms, which are personalised to their tastes. However, one bathroom needs refurbishment. Doors downstairs have a stark and institutionalised appearance, which detracts from the otherwise homely appearance of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the strengths and areas for improvement in the home and these are documented in the home’s development plan. Inspection report for children’s home: 2511289 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that bathrooms are refurbished and all doors appear homely. 8 December 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are prepared for moves from the home and are supported to learn practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. In particular, ensure that the strategies and plans to achieve independence skills are regularly updated in line with progress and are documented in a child’s care plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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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: 2511289 6

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Victoria Elworthy

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Inspectors

Tina Maddison, Social Care Inspector Nickie Doney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2511289 7 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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