Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 1 SC457068 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 is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and registered with Ofsted in December 2018.

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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: SC457068 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2023 Full Good 24/01/2023 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Good 07/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. The children said that they like living in the home and spending time with each other and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the importance of education. When children are unable to attend school, staff ensure they take part in home learning and educational activities. Staff work well with children’s teachers to understand children’s learning needs and to ensure consistent support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to take part in a range of activities. Children attend local clubs and have weekly swimming and horse-riding lessons. Children have fun with staff and have also enjoyed going to theme parks and on trips to the beach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are prioritised by staff. Recommendations from annual health reviews are acted on promptly and children are supported to attend routine appointments. In addition, children receive regular therapeutic support, which benefits their emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care needs and experiences are well understood and they receive individualised care. However, care plans do not record children’s goals and journeys during their time at the home. This means that staff do not have all the required information to provide the best possible care to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some areas of the home environment have been improved. For example, children’s bedrooms have been personalised. However, some parts of the home require redecoration. The bath panel is broken and needs replacing. The manager has asked for this work to be carried out but it has not yet been done. This does not promote a homely atmosphere.

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

Children said that they feel safe. Staff have a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities and risks. Carefully assessed staffing levels and written assessments ensure that children receive appropriate support in the home.

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

Physical intervention is used as a last resort, to keep children safe. The manager reviews all incidents and gives children and staff the opportunity to share their views. This ensures that practice remains appropriate and supports children to learn about their behaviours.

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

The manager has made changes to the home’s allegation policy to ensure that this sets out the procedure to be followed. When allegations have been made, the manager has ensured that information is shared appropriately and that children receive a response to Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 4 explain the outcome of an investigation. This ensures that children feel that their voice is heard and that processes are understood.

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

Incidents of children going missing from home are rare. On one occasion when a child was reported missing, staff were proactive and liaised with relevant agencies. When the child returned to the home, staff were supportive and assisted the child to reflect on their choices.

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

The manager has completed a review of the location of the premises. However, they have failed to consider some known risks about the home’s location and how this has impacted on children’s behaviours. This is a missed opportunity to fully review the home’s location and consider how to manage risks relating to this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is child-focused and passionate about children receiving the best possible care. There will be changes to the home’s leadership team as the manager is due to leave. At the time of inspection, managers had failed to implement a suitable succession plan to ensure continuity of care. As a result, management arrangements and transition planning remain unclear.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that the manager is supportive and approachable. Staff are supported to develop their practice through training, supervision and clinical consultation. This supports staff with their work in caring for children and helps them to reflect on practice and implement new strategies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have good working relationships with external professionals. Managers challenge the local authority effectively when there have been delays in meeting actions set in children’s care plans. This ensures that children are receiving the best possible support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and reviewing systems are in place which enable the manager to have oversight of the home and the progress of children. Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 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 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(b)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the home environment and ensuring that all areas of the home are maintained a good standard and that any issues are responded to promptly. 6 June 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the homes’ workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)) 06 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 6 This relates to ensuring that managers implement a suitable and effective transition plan to respond to the impact of the registered manager leaving the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information should be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child and take into account any relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the review of the premises includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: SC457068 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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Inspectors

Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Kate Savage, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC457068 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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