Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 1 SC456850 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 children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties. There was one child living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022.

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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: SC456850 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2023 Full Good 15/03/2022 Full Good 31/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 21/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys positive relationships with the staff. The manager and staff are committed and nurturing and understand the child’s needs. The child has made significant progress in many aspects of their life since living at the home. One professional said, ‘Progress of the child over the last year has been amazing. The child was not going out. He now enjoys free time in the community, he is more independent, his confidence has grown. He is a different child to the one 12 months ago.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to develop his independence skills. Through small daily tasks, the child is developing essential life skills, such as cooking and domestic tasks. Staff support the child to travel independently from school using public transport. This is developing the child’s confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have high expectations of the child to access and achieve in education. The child is regularly attending school, and there is good partnership working to ensure that there is consistency for the child. One professional said, ‘Home and school have worked closely together, and the child is now re-engaging with his education, and the staff have been instrumental in this.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to keep in touch with their family. Although there is a distance between the child and their parent, staff take the child to see their family during school holidays. Staff also support the child to have regular telephone calls with their parent. Staff regularly update the parent to keep them informed of the child’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child receives support to help them attend all routine health appointments. Staff have supported the child to overcome his phobia around the dentist. He now attends regularly and recently had a brace fitted. Staff educate the child on health issues, such as healthy eating, keeping physically active and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Staff work with health professionals. However, the manager has not ensured that there is an up-to-date health assessment plan. This means that the plans in place do not provide the manager and staff with all the relevant and up-to- date information about the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is well maintained and decorated to a high standard. The child has personalised their room, and there are photos and memory books that capture the child’s journey. This helps the child have a strong sense of identity, and staff and professionals say that they have seen the child grow in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff celebrate the child’s achievements. There are certificates displayed in the home. Through a visual incentive chart on the wall, the child is working towards having his first holiday abroad in the summer. The child enjoys spending time with Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 4 staff and doing various activities, such as walks, going out for meals, playing snooker and visits to the park. This is helping to build positive shared memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to have a say in their day-to-day care. Through weekly meetings, he has a choice of the activities and menu. The manager also gets monthly feedback on how the child feels about living at the home and to identify any area that can be improved. This means the child feels that the staff listen to them and that their opinions are valued.

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

The child said they feel happy and safe in the home. They can identify a trusted adult that they can talk to about any worries or concerns. The child knows how to make a complaint, and the manager responded proactively to the one complaint the child has raised. As a result, the child feels listened to.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the child’s vulnerabilities. There are in-depth risk assessments in place. These give clear guidelines to staff on how to manage and minimise risk, and they are regularly reviewed. The child is involved in their risk assessment, and staff regularly speak to the child about keeping safe.

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

Staff support the child to take age-appropriate risk by increasing their unsupervised time when they are out in the community. This has been at the child’s pace, so they understand the risks. The child enjoys going out on his bicycle. To ensure the child’s safety, staff have supported them in completing a cycling proficiency test.

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

There have been two incidents of the child being reported as missing from home. These have been well managed. Staff are proactive in their response and follow the missing-from-home protocol, including searching for the child and working with other professionals to ensure that the child’s safety was paramount. Staff regularly speak with the child to help them understand the risks and their vulnerabilities. The manager ensures that the child has had access to an independent person on their return.

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

Positive behaviour is supported by the staff. Through their understanding of the child’s vulnerabilities, they can de-escalate issues quickly. Staff support the child to express their emotions in an appropriate way, and their level of aggression has greatly reduced as a result. Physical intervention has not been used.

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

Any incidents have been well managed, and these are clearly recorded. The manager ensures that all appropriate people are informed. Through good management oversight, the manager identifies learning to ensure that incidents are reducing.

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

Room searches take place only when there is an identified risk. However, the child is not always informed of the reason why their room has been searched. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and has management responsibility for one other home operated by the same company. There is a good working relationship between the manager and his experienced deputy. This helps and supports the smooth running of the home and ensures that there is consistency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team is caring, child-centred and inspirational. Both managers have an in-depth understanding of the child’s needs and the progress they are making. They lead an experienced, skilled and stable team. Staff share a positive and child-centred approach. They are committed to supporting the child, and they take pride in the child’s progress and achievements. One professional said, ‘The team are one of the best I have worked with; they are so supportive of the child. [Name of child] has made so much progress.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed good working relationships with professionals. He ensures that all professionals are notified about significant events that occur in the home. Monthly updates are sent to both the social worker and school to ensure that they are all working together to meet the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a comprehensive training programme available to staff. The manager ensures that they receive additional training to meet the child’s needs. The manager has good oversight of the learning needs of the team and ensures that staff complete refresher training in the appropriate timescales. As a result, staff continue to have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervisions and appraisals take place in the appropriate timescales. These provide the opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice and develop their skills and knowledge. The manager ensures that the child is given the opportunity to feed back on each staff member for the appraisals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff meetings take place regularly and give the staff an opportunity to share knowledge. The company’s therapist regularly attends these meetings and offers support and advice around working with the child and meeting their needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 6

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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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they have a copy of the child’s most up-to-date health assessment plan and use this to inform the support given. 12 April 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a room search is undertaken, the child is informed of the reason why the search was necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.20)

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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: SC456850 7

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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

Simon Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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