Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2631595 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned by a national provider. It provides care for up to five children who are likely to experience social and emotional difficulties due to past trauma. There were three children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since March 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 requires improvement to be 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: 2631595 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/07/2023 Full Good 09/08/2022 Full Good 16/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2631595 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There were three children living at the home at the time of this inspection. Since the last inspection, three children have moved in and two children have moved out. Two children spoke to the inspector during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have built good relationships with the staff. One child said, ‘The staff, they are kind.’ When asked who they would speak to if they had any worries or concerns, the child said, ‘Any of the staff, I don’t actually have a favourite.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in education from their starting points. The children attended a school awards evening to receive awards for their educational achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in activities that they enjoy, and talk positively about these. Education and activities give children a purposeful and meaningful structure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work hard to ensure that children maintain links with those who are important to them. This helps children retain their family relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of children’s health needs. They work closely with external agencies to support children’s health needs and support children to attend their health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from professionals is positive. One social worker said that they were happy with the care provided to children and that the staff hold the children in positive regard. A parent said that communication was very good, they felt listened to and they had no problems since their child moved into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children influence the design and decoration of their bedrooms. However, one child’s bedroom was in a poor state of repair following damage. 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 beforehand. Although there are occasions when an immediate room search may be necessary, the staff have failed to provide a rationale for doing this without children’s permission.

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

Staff have mandatory safeguarding training. They have a clear understanding of the home’s whistle-blowing policy. They know how to escalate concerns appropriately and understand their child protection responsibilities.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities and the risks that they may be exposed to. There are systems in place for staff to monitor children’s online activities. Overall, staff keep children safe and take action to ensure that children are protected. Inspection report for children’s home: 2631595 4 The children’s guide is child-friendly and gives children a sense of what it is like living at the home. The guide also contains information to help children understand who to speak to if they are worried or need support outside the home. Children also know how to make a complaint if they need to.

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

Feedback from professionals and families is positive. One social worker said, ‘The staff are doing everything they can to safeguard the child.’ A parent said, ‘My child is challenging, but staff care about the children and are doing their job, they don’t give up.’

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

The organisation’s approach to safe recruitment reduces the risk of inappropriate people gaining employment at the home. Staff are assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is no registered manager. The registered manager resigned in March 2024. The home is managed by the deputy manager, who has been appointed as the acting manager. The acting manager is supported by the responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The oversight of incidents and physical interventions is limited. Leaders and managers fail to show the necessary curiosity to satisfy themselves that the physical interventions are appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers’ systems for monitoring and responding to the general maintenance of the home are not always effective. Despite extensive damage to a child’s bedroom, leaders and managers were unaware of when this actually occurred. This delay in providing repairs may impact negatively on the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff do not receive regular supervision sessions and annual appraisals. As a result, this does not provide staff with all the guidance they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Some staff hold a relevant qualification. Those who do not hold a relevant qualification are working towards one within the agreed time frames. The staff are positive about the home, they are enthusiastic and energised. Staff said that they are supported by management. Managers have identified some areas for improvement in the staff team’s practice and have some plans in place to develop these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff benefit from monthly reflective meetings.. Team meetings encourage discussion and provide staff with safeguarding scenarios to develop their understanding of keeping children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. A social worker said that the acting manager is good at communicating. There are weekly meetings about their child and the acting manager is always available. Inspection report for children’s home: 2631595 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

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 repairs are not delayed. 22 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— 22 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2631595 6 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 that all incidents and physical interventions are reviewed to evaluate the impact on children and inform future practice.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 22 August 2024

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Recommendation

 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 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: 2631595 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dennise Springett

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Inspector

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2631595 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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