Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Bradford

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC424141 1 SC424141

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Registered provider: 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 privately run home is registered to provide care for up to six children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC424141 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Staff were unaware of a vulnerable child who was missing from the home for over 12 hours.  The home uses a blanket approach to bedroom door alarms and rely on these to keep children safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff were not aware that a child left the home in the early hours of the morning and was not present in the home for over 12 hours. During this time, staff were unaware of the child’s whereabouts. They did not enter the child’s room despite having no response from the repeated knocks on their door. No checks were made on the child’s well-being and staff did not enter their room until after 5pm when they were alerted to the child’s whereabouts from an external source.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff rely heavily on bedroom door alarms, which remain in place even after a requirement was issued at the last inspection. The use of the alarms is disproportionate to the current risks within the home. There is no clear rationale for the continued use of this restriction and staff rely on the bedroom door alarms to keep children safe. However, the alarms did not alert staff that the child had left their bedroom and the home in the early hours.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are not making progress in their education. Not all children are enrolled in education, and those who do have a place do not regularly attend. Staff try to support some children to overcome barriers to education. For one child, this has meant attending a new education provision, but staff from the home are not able to provide transport and there has been a delay in the placing local authority arranging this. As a result, children are not reaching their full potential and this limits their future life chances.

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Findings from the inspection

The system for managing repairs and maintenance at the home remains poor. The dining room window has been broken for over a month. This has not been escalated in a timely way for repair. This does not provide children with a homely environment.

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Findings from the inspection

The quality of records and management oversight are ineffective. Some documents contain incorrect information and names of children who they do not relate to.

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Findings from the inspection

The management team has still not consulted with the local police force in relation to the location risk assessment. This was a requirement at the previous inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff address issues with children directly and offer appropriate challenge. However, the record of these conversations is often poorly written. This is not consistently challenged by the manager, which means that children will not have clarity in information should they review their files later in life. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC424141 3 Some staff have good relationships with some children. However, not all children feel safe or secure in their relationships with staff. This contributes to children going missing and experiencing a high level of emotional dysregulation. Some children have positive experiences that have supported them to successfully move on to independence.

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Findings from the inspection

Other incidents when children are missing from home are generally managed well. Staff look for children, contact people who are important to them, and liaise with relevant agencies as required. The manager ensures that multi-agency meetings take place to support the risks to reduce.

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Findings from the inspection

Physical intervention is not used often. When it is used, it is proportionate, and conversations take place or are attempted with children. Appropriate and timely conversations take place with staff afterwards to consider their well-being and any learning.

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Findings from the inspection

When children can no longer live in the home, the manager ensures that child- focused plans are developed. The manager works with the local authorities to minimise the disruption and impact on the children.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a clear system in place for managing complaints. This has management oversight and includes appropriate responses.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/04/2022 Full Good 23/02/2022 Full Inadequate 04/02/2020 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC424141 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, 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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(x)) 4 February 2024

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are supervised appropriately, with regular checks when children are in their bedrooms. 4 January 2024

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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 promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 4 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC424141 5 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; and

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the home is well maintained and that repairs are made in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that children’s records contain accurate information and provide a clear understanding of decision-making.

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (c)(ii)(iii)) 4 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2)) 4 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC424141 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: Susan Fitzsimmons

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Inspector

Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC424141 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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