Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Bradford

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC424141 1 SC424141 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 home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to six children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties. There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager was not working at the home during the time of the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place in response to Ofsted receiving a second whistle- blowing complaint in the space of a few weeks. The allegations relate to a bullying culture in the home. Further allegations suggested senior leaders are not taking action to address the practice in the home. In addition, concerns were raised with Ofsted about familial relationships between staff working at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The whistleblowing indicates that not all staff have felt safe working at the home. This is clear from the two separate whistle-blowing concerns that have been shared with Ofsted. There is a lack of trust among some staff in the management arrangements and oversight of the home. Despite the manager not being in work, he has continued contact with some staff and has ongoing access to management information via a work laptop. The senior manager with oversight of the home did not consider this sufficiently serious to warrant an immediate response.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments around family members working together were not made available to inspectors despite repeated requests. This does not provide assurances that leaders and managers have a good understanding about the impact of these relationships on staff dynamics and the culture within the home. A member of staff working in the home at the time of the inspection was not open and honest with the inspector about these relationships.

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This monitoring visit

Staff indicated that they receive regular supervision from the manager, but these records were not available on staff files. Senior leaders were unable to locate these Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC424141 2 records and inappropriately contacted the registered manager who was absent from work and requested they were emailed to the home during the monitoring visits. Handwritten notes were then presented to inspectors which contained numerous discrepancies. The dates on several of these records do not align with the staff rota or the supervision matrix. These discrepancies indicate supervision sessions took place on days when staff were not on shift at the home. This raises concerns about the integrity of the leadership and the legitimacy of the documents.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment is not maintained to a good standard. One child’s bedroom floor was dirty, with dirt and dust that appeared to have accumulated over a long period. The child could not recall the last time staff had cleaned their floor. The bathmat in one of the bathrooms was dirty, and there was accumulated grime and dust on the floor.

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This monitoring visit

Staff spoken to as part of the inspection were not able to share the actions that they should take to support a child’s emotional well-being. The child’s risk assessment does not contain the appropriate strategies required to ensure that the risks for the child are appropriately managed despite a recent decline in their health. Consultation had taken place between the provider and the provider’s therapist about how best to respond to the child’s needs. However, the recommendations were not appropriately actioned.

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This monitoring visit

Only one member of staff has achieved the expected qualification linked to working with children in residential care. Some staff have moved from a permanent role to become bank staff. They continue to work significant hours but there is no expectation upon them to complete the required qualification to build on their knowledge and skills of the work they do with children. Gaps in recruitment records do not provide assurances that staff are appointed following the appropriate process.

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This monitoring visit

The concerns arising from this inspection, in conjunction with the concerns from the previous monitoring inspection, have resulted in Ofsted serving a suspension notice to this home.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements raised at the last inspection were not explored during this inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/04/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC424141 3 23/02/2022 Full Inadequate 04/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC424141 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply with 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;

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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 effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vi)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there are effective systems in place that enable staff to whistle-blow. These systems must allow for a timely response to any concerns that are raised. 24 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC424141 5 The registered person must ensure that all whistle-blowing concerns, complaints and allegations are taken seriously and that appropriate safeguarding agencies are informed in a timely way to ensure children are effectively safeguarded. This includes the placing local authorities of children who live in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that when children raise issues about their care, this is recorded and responded to appropriately, in a child-focused way.

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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; and

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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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 develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. 24 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC424141 6 (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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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—

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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)) 24 March 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

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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 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 acted on 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

Ensure that supervision takes place in line with the company policy and is recorded and signed by the supervisee.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that risk assessments are in place and followed when staff members have a significantly close relationship, such as family members and close friends. 24 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC424141 7 Ensure that staff who have been working for the home for more than two years have completed their diploma as stated in Regulation 32.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the relevant information relating to staff recruitment, including application forms and expressions of interest, is available in employee files.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 6 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)) 24 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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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: SC424141 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: Susan Fitzsimmons

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Inspector

Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC424141 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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