Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Bedford

Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 1 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

This home is privately run and provides care for up to four children who may have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable. Education is offered at a linked provision on a different site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since December 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 23 January 2024

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2024 Full Good 11/10/2022 Full Outstanding 04/01/2022 Full Good 10/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved on and one child has moved in. The shortfalls identified in the leadership and management of the home have affected children’s experiences. At times, the staff have failed to provide safe or effective care. This has resulted in an overall judgement of inadequate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child spoke to the inspector during this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There has not been enough consideration about whether children’s needs can be met by the staff. Despite having no manager, and a very inexperienced staff team, a new child moved in to live with a child who was settled. This resulted in several incidents that disrupted both children and left them unsafe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Some consequences that staff use to manage children’s behaviour are punitive. This does not help children to understand their behaviour or learn from this. The staff have failed to engage children in education or structured activities. The children have poor sleep hygiene. When children are not up in the morning, staff threaten to remove purposeful activities. This has left children with poor routines and little to do. These factors have contributed to unstable relationships between staff and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child’s bedroom had plates, cups and rubbish on the floor. The child’s bed had white sheets that appeared heavily soiled with red and brown stains. The staff have failed to provide a hygienic, clean bedroom. This does not support children’s well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff carry out room searches when they have concerns about children’s safety and well- being. However, the staff do not seek permission from children before searching their bedrooms. Although there are occasions when an immediate room search may be necessary, the staff have failed to provide a rationale for searching children’s bedrooms without their permission.

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

Staff have not followed agreed strategies when monitoring and supervising children. The staff have failed to report incidents, using the emergency on-call arrangements. These shortfalls have led to delayed responses by leaders and managers. These delays have increased the risk of harm to children.

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

Staff said that they cannot keep children safe because there are not enough staff and most experienced staff have left. Staff work long hours and appear depleted and tired. This compromises their judgement and ability to provide children with safe care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 4 There have been incidents of children going missing from the home. When children go missing, staff are quick to respond. Partnership work with the police is effective and staff actively ensure that the children return home as soon as possible. However, children are not offered return home interviews. This means that opportunities are missed to understand why children go missing and to reduce these incidents.

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

A child told the inspector that they were worried about a staff member returning to the home. This was because the child had raised concerns about the member of staff. The child was not kept up to date or reassured about this situation. When this was raised during the inspection, the staff reassured the child.

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

The safe recruitment systems for staff are comprehensive. This helps to prevent unsuitable adults from working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home does not have a registered manager or consistent arrangements to oversee the day-to-day management of the home. This has resulted in very poor managerial monitoring and oversight. Several managers have supported the home and carried out audits. These audits have been ineffective as identified shortfalls have not been addressed in a timely manner and children have been left at risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

One safeguarding concern relating to poor staff practice that left children at risk of harm was not notified to Ofsted. This meant that Ofsted’s capacity to monitor safeguards was reduced. The staff have failed to notify all relevant professionals following a serious allegation of abuse from a child about a staff member. Combined, these failures remove the safeguards and systems intended to keep vulnerable children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management of the home fails to support the approach and ethos described in the statement of purpose. Leaders and managers are ineffective in overseeing staff practice to enable them to deliver consistent and safe care. Staff do not receive regular supervision sessions to support their development and reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff undertake the organisation’s training and induction programme. However, poor staff retention and difficulties in staff recruitment have left an inexperienced staff team. This means that children have not been supported by staff who have the experience and skills to meet their individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff have faced difficult situations and challenges. Despite this, there are no records of team meetings to ensure that staff use incidents to reduce risks for children and improve their experiences. Staff morale is low. Staff said that they do not feel supported because the home does not have a manager. Furthermore, leaders and managers have not reviewed incidents and consequences to identify any learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have sustained positive relationships with professionals. The feedback about effective communication is mixed. One child’s parent said, ‘Things had gone downhill in the last three to four months and communication from staff was poor.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 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 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 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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand their roles in safeguarding and supervising children and implement the home’s safeguarding policies, including reporting safeguarding concerns to relevant professionals. 12 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 12 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 6 understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(v)(vii)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s bedrooms are clean, well maintained and provide a safe and homely personal space.

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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. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 12 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is an organisation or a partnership. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, appoint a suitable manager and ensure that they register with Ofsted without delay.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 2 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 7 *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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)) 12 August 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

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child . (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e)) 12 August 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— 12 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 8 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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular; ensure there are adequate staff that have the skills, experiences and qualifications to meet the assessed needs of the children.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the knowledge and understanding of the risks to keep children safe.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that all incidents and consequences given to children are reviewed to evaluate the impact on children and where possible inform future practice and reduce the risks of harm to children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff receive practice-related supervision sessions that include staff well-being. 12 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Information provided by such interviews should be considered when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. In particular, the registered person should ensure that children are routinely offered return home interviews after missing-from-care incidents. The interview should be carried out within 72 hours of the child returning to the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that children’s bedrooms are only searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. Immediate searching may be necessary where there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 9 child’s or another person’s safety or well-being. In particular, the registered person should ensure that when children’s bedrooms are searched without the children’s permission, staff state the reason why they have not sought permission from children. (‘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: 1230416 10

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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: Dennise Springett

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Inspector

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1230416 11 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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