Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Cornwall

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 1 Cambian Childcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is part of a large national organisation. It is registered to care for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2022.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance inspection of this children’s home took place on 16 November 2023. At the inspection, serious and widespread concerns were identified. As a result, a notice restricting new admissions to the home was served.

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This monitoring visit

A comprehensive action plan has been devised that focuses on the development required to address the significant shortfalls in practice identified at the previous inspection. The manager and staff have individual performance management and development plans to improve their practice. These plans are regularly reviewed to ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills required to safely meet the needs of the children they support.

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This monitoring visit

Experienced managers and staff from the provider’s other homes are working in the home to quality assess how staff are completing children’s records and identify where there is weakness in practice. They then offer advice and support to improve the quality of record-keeping, ensuring that records are child focused and robust.

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This monitoring visit

All staff are undergoing a clear training programme indented to increase their knowledge and skills. There is a focus on safeguarding and child sexual exploitation to ensure that staff have an in-depth understanding of how they can keep children safe and protected from harm. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 2 Leaders and managers have now robustly investigated all outstanding incidents. Appropriate action has been taken to address poor practice, and measures have been put in place to help ensure that children are not put at risk in the future. Managers do now notify Ofsted promptly when there are safeguarding concerns for children or concerns about adults who work in the home.

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This monitoring visit

While progress has been made to address the concerns identified during the previous inspection, it is too early to assess the impact these changes have made to practice. Therefore, the notice to restrict new admissions to the home and the previous requirements remain in place. Ofsted will continue to monitor the home. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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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

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 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

In particular, ensure that leaders and managers have effective oversight of staff practice and the care and safety of the children, and they act quickly when practice falls below an acceptable standard. In addition, ensure that leaders and managers have the skills, knowledge and experience to ensure that staff understand expectations of them and what they need to do to keep children safe and are held to account when practice is weak or unacceptable.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 31 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 5 undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff receive meaningful practice- related supervision in line with expectation. Ensure that staff subject to performance plans are provided with clear information in respect of what they need to do to improve their practice within realistic timescales, and make sure they know how they will be supported to make the changes and what the expected outcome is.

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; 31 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 6 make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that children are cared for in line with their care plan and staff meet their needs and reduce known and emerging risks for them.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, undertake robust and meaningful assessment and consider each individual child’s needs and current and emerging risks when considering the placement of additional children in the home.

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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 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— that staff—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child 31 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 7 effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff act to keep children safe. Ensure that staff act in accordance with children’s plans and management direction when children are at risk of harm. In addition, ensure that when children go missing from care, staff act to find them quickly and there are effective systems in place so that staff know when children go missing from care. Ensure that children are offered a return home interview that helps inform future care planning and risk reduction.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicola McClements

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Inspector

Gary Turney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617923 9 regulates and inspects 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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