Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: 2624657 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

The home is owned by a large national provider of children’s homes. It provides care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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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

Date of last inspection: 23 January 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2624657 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/10/2023 Full Inadequate 14/02/2023 Full Good 12/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2624657 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has moved in. The child who moved out did not experience a positive end to their time living at the home. Since then, the previous registered manager has left and a new manager is now in post. She has reflected on this child’s time living at the home. This has helped her plan effectively for the child currently living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and the child have warm and nurturing relationships. The manager and staff create a warm environment that supports the child to make progress. The child enjoys living at the home. They said, ‘It’s the best home I have lived in.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff know the child well and understand their individual needs. Staff meet the child’s health needs and seek specialist help for the child when required. The manager and staff work closely with the provider’s psychologist. The psychologist visits the home to provide staff with guidance about how to consistently meet the child’s needs. This helps staff to provide effective care for the child. As a result, the child is making progress in all areas of their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff work with education professionals. They are working together to identify any barriers to the child’s learning, and the child is making progress from their starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys spending time with the manager and staff. The manager and staff engage the child in activities to support their learning, such as outdoor activities and a life-skills programme. The manager and staff involve the child in decisions about their day-to-day care. This is helping the child to feel valued. The child knows how to make a complaint.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff understand that family is important to the child. They support the child to see family members. This means the child maintains contact with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has positive experiences in the home. They participate in a range of activities such as playing football, baking and going on trips out. The child helps with age- appropriate tasks around the house. This increases their sense of belonging while teaching them important life skills.

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

The manager and staff understand the child’s vulnerabilities. The child said that they feel safe and can speak to any member of staff if they are worried about anything. This helps the child feel safe and valued. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624657 4 Staff respond well when incidents occur. Due to the positive relationships between the child and staff, staff can support the child to manage their emotions and feelings better. As a result, there have been no incidents of restraint.

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

There are clear and individualised risk management plans in place. They contain strategies for staff to follow to reduce the risk of harm to the child. However, the child’s plans do not include all known risks, for example, the use of e-cigarettes. This is a missed opportunity to provide staff with strategies to reduce this risk.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been incidents when a child was missing from home. Records of these incidents are detailed and demonstrate that staff took sufficient action. However, there are gaps in the previous manager’s review and monitoring of these incidents. This is a missed opportunity for leaders and managers to evaluate incidents to reduce the risk of incidents reoccurring. The manager accepts these shortfalls. The manager has carried out a review of these incidents to identify any learning for staff.

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

The manager and staff talk to the child about risks they may be exposed to, such as substance misuse and knife crime. This helps the child understand the risks.

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

The recruitment of staff is thorough. Records demonstrate that effective processes are in place to ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a registered manager in post. She has the necessary skills and experience to manage the home. The manager is child-centred and she has created a nurturing and homely environment for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the strengths of the home and the developments needed. She has effective monitoring systems in place to help her review the quality of care staff provide for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the child well. She is ambitious for the child and promotes goals and permanence for the child’s future. The manager reviews and evaluates staff practice so she can continue to provide effective care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has positive relationships with neighbours and external professionals. This effective multi-agency approach helps the child to make progress in all areas of their life. Professionals and staff speak highly of the manager and the care they provide for the child. One staff member said, ‘It is lovely to be able to work in a place which I would call my home away from home.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive supervision regularly. They say that they feel supported and team morale is positive. Staff have opportunities to develop their practice and discuss different ways to support the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624657 5 The manager has met the requirements that were raised at the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624657 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 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

that staff 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure the child’s risks and vulnerabilities are included in their plans, specifically in relation to e-cigarettes. 9 August 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s workforce development plan and statement fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 and include the qualification and supervision arrangements of staff providing therapy and education. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2624657 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

Sally Croft, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2624657 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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