Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lincolnshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683445 1 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 home is owned by a large national provider and is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is newly appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Date of last inspection: 7 November 2023

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

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. The inspector has 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: 2683445 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has remained living in the home and two children have moved in. These were both planned moves and children had a positive welcome to the home. At the time of this inspection, one child was missing from care.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s progress and experiences are variable as not all of them are engaging in the care being provided. Children have started to develop their relationships with the staff, although some children prefer to spend most of their time in their bedrooms. Children are not always provided with consistent and structured boundaries in day- to-day routines, which impacts on their progress and understanding of the expectations in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has started to make progress and is attending education regularly, which they said they enjoy. The manager has worked with other professionals in trying to support the other children to re-engage in some form of education. There has been limited success with this.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have started to engage in some activities in the home and community. One child regularly goes swimming, which has been positive for them. Children are supported to regularly meet with their friends and families to maintain these connections. Children’s care plans are not regularly reviewed and updated, which means that they do not contain all relevant information. Staff are unaware of some children’s histories and risks and are not confident in discussing children and how they are being supported.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s needs are considered in their care. The manager has tried to access additional support and guidance for the children, although this has mostly been declined. One child regularly engages in substance misuse and some work has been carried out with them around the risks to their health.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk assessments are not yet sufficiently good and do not contain all known risks for the children. Risk management strategies lack detail and are limited to how staff will support children rather than provide a proactive response to risk. Staff are not following some risk assessments, which means that children are being placed at risk of potential harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Missing-from-care incidents have not always been well managed. For example, a child contacted the home after being reported missing and staff did not go and collect the child. This information was shared with the emergency services and staff were reliant on them returning the child to the home. This does not provide a Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683445 3 positive message to the child about how staff care for them and places an additional burden on the emergency services.

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Findings from the inspection

An allegation against a staff member was not reported in line with policies and procedures, which led to a delay in reporting to external safeguarding professionals. Staff initially failed to record the allegation until directed to do so by senior managers. This does not provide assurance that allegations are being recorded and shared with relevant external agencies.

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Findings from the inspection

Incidents have reduced and there has been no use of restraint. Children are more settled in the home and behaviour has improved.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has been newly appointed to the home and their priority has been stabilising and supporting the staff team to improve and develop. They have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and have prioritised where there has been most need.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has started to implement quality assurance and monitoring systems to improve their oversight of the home, but these have yet to be embedded in practice. They have also introduced structured daily plans for the team of staff to support them in their roles.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have regular supervision which supports them to reflect on their practice and identify their development and training needs. All staff have now completed their mandatory training, including safeguarding, and are in the process of undertaking additional courses to further improve their knowledge and skills.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is developing relationships with external professionals. They have improved communication between the staff and external professionals involved in the care of the children. This means that there is a more cohesive approach to sharing information which is of benefit to the children.

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Findings from the inspection

Some statutory requirements made at the last inspection were not reviewed at this inspection and these have therefore been restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683445 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/10/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683445 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 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 a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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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)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children who are not attending school are supported to engage in education at home and that there is an education planner that allows for a routine to be established and any educational activity to be recorded. 1 May 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—

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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; 1 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683445 6 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;

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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 effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that risk assessments are carried out which consider all known risks and that staff follow these and are provided with guidance on implementing effective strategies of support. This also relates to ensuring that staff report and record allegations of harm.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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)(a)(c)(f)(h)) 1 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683445 7 This specifically relates to the management oversight and review of the home to support improvement and development. It also relates to ensuring that there are sufficient, suitably qualified and experienced staff to provide care to the children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to all children’s plans, including care, health, education and behaviour support plans. 1 May 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that an evaluation of missing-from-care incidents is carried out to identify any gaps in staff’s training, skills or knowledge. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683445 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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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683445 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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