Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 1 SC436372 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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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 owned by a large national provider. It is registered to provide care for up to five children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children currently live at the home. They were spoken to and had their views considered.

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Information about this children’s home

The appointed manager and responsible individual were both present throughout this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 28 November 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/08/2022 Full Good 24/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 3

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improvement to be good

Since the previous inspection, there has been no change to the children living in the home. They are settled and are making some progress in their lives. Children told inspectors that they were happy and feel safe. Children have warm and positive relationships with the team.

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improvement to be good

A child with complex needs is due to move into the home imminently. Information has not been adequately assessed to understand all known risks. Leaders and managers had not considered all the information provided prior to deciding to allow the child to move in, including whether the staff have the skills to meet their needs, or the impact of the move on the children already living in the home. More positively staff have been going to see the child in their current placement to start to build up relationships with them to assist a smooth transition into the home.

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improvement to be good

Children have opportunities to express their views, wishes and feelings. However, there is sometimes a lack of follow up, professional curiosity and further discussion with children after they have shared their views. Consequently, children may not feel listened to, heard or fully respected.

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improvement to be good

Children have access and use universal health services. In addition, the members of the specialist nurse team are regular visitors to the home in order to provide support and guidance. Further support is available through the home’s clinical team, whose members provide advice and training to help the team develop additional knowledge and awareness.

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improvement to be good

Leaders have not addressed, in a timely way, a complaint from an external agency about a child missing appointments and staff conduct. This has led to the child losing this essential support and being placed on a long waiting list to access the service. This is of detriment to the child and could impact on their emotional health and well-being. An investigation into the concerns raised by external agencies has yet to happen.

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improvement to be good

All the children have education in place and are making some progress. One child is actively involved in a rugby club and plays at county level. They have goals and aspirations, and staff support children to achieve them. Children have opportunities to engage in activities in the home and local area. A regional sports day is planned with other local children’s homes. One child said they would like staff to spend more time with them when they are doing activities.

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improvement to be good

Medication audits and checks carried out by leaders and managers have failed to identify that staff have given a child medication outside of prescribed timeframes. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 4 Staff support children to remain in touch and spend time with those who are important to them. One child has a friendship group away from the home and has regular sleepovers and time in the community with their friends. This has been positive for them and is supporting in the development of their independence and social skills.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not regularly reviewed or updated children’s plans. Some known information is not incorporated into children’s care plans. This prevents staff from having clear guidance about children’s needs and how best to support them.

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improvement to be good

Most children feel settled, and significant incidents are rare. Staff managed one missing from home episode, which was of short duration, appropriately. Children have mostly positive and trusting relationships with the team and as a result they feel safe in the home.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff have not regularly reviewed and updated children’s risk assessments. The risk assessments do not reflect other plans in place. This means staff do not have clear written guidance on how to best support children and keep them safe in line with their needs.

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improvement to be good

Although there have been no safeguarding allegations about staff in the home, concerns about staff practice, raised by staff working in another home, are currently under investigation. Leaders know that there is more to do to ensure that staff working in the home report any concerns about the practice of others.

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improvement to be good

A staff member employed to work at another home was subject to an allegation and redeployed to the home to allow investigations to be undertaken. There was no risk assessment put in place around lone working until this staff member had completed two shifts. The manager has now rectified this.

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improvement to be good

Safe recruitment practices do not have measures to assess whether staff who work for other employers within residential care remain suitable to do so. Leaders do not regularly check whether there have been any practice concerns or allegations while employed elsewhere. This has the potential to place children at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff and children do not regularly take part in fire drills and evacuations. Some rooms in the home were inaccessible to the manager and staff, such as the medication room, due to a key being taken out of the home. This has the potential to prevent staff and children from accessing medication if needed. The appointed manager addressed this during the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 5

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

The registered manager resigned in April 2024 and is currently subject to internal investigation processes. A newly appointed manager is yet to apply to register with Ofsted. They have not applied within prescribed timescales. The newly appointed manager and a new registered individual are sighted on the strengths and shortfalls in the home, they know what needs to improve and plans are in development to achieve this.

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

The current manager has been focused on improving staff practices and morale in the home. However, several staff have resigned and staff from other homes are covering care shifts for children. Consequently, there is instability in the staff team. The remaining staff are unqualified and lack experience, which means the manager’s priority is supporting them to develop their skills.

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

There has been low morale in the home and a culture in which staff are not reporting concerns around practice and conduct in a timely way or in line with organisational policies. This means issues around staff practice have been unchallenged and whistle- blowers have raised concerns to Ofsted. Leaders and the new manager are trying to improve this culture and have encouraged staff to share their views. This is a work in progress.

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

Staff have not been having regular supervision in line with organisational policies. Staff who are eligible have not had an annual appraisal. These are missed opportunities to support staff to reflect on and develop their practice. Leaders and the new manager are aware of this, and plans to address this are in development.

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

Staff have access to a range of mandatory and additional training to support them to develop their knowledge and skills, particularly around children’s complex needs. However, despite management directives, some staff have failed to complete essential training which would help them to have improved knowledge of how best to support children. A new child who is due to move into the home has some complex needs, and staff have not yet received sufficient training and guidance on how best to help the child and understand their needs.

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

Some requirements from the previous inspection have not been met and these have been reinstated. Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 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 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; and

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. Regulation(6) (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to staff ensuring that children’s plans reflect the needs of the children and reflect other plans offered, such as therapy plans and health assessment plans. 4 Oct 2024

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c ))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring that staff listen to children’s voices in meetings and in key-work sessions, and that 4 Oct 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 7 they respond to them appropriately. Mangers should ensure that staff are professionally curious about what children are saying, and that their actions follow up on concerns raised by children. 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the manager ensuring that –

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Requirement Due date

children’s risk assessments and plans are current and reflect information in other plans;

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Requirement Due date

staff follow whistle-blowing policies and report concerns regarding staff practice in a timely way;

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Requirement Due date

any staff who are working in the home following allegations have appropriate risk assessments in place; and

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Requirement Due date

all areas of the home are accessible to staff and there are sufficient keys to allow access to essential areas of the home, such as the medication room and office. 4 Oct 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— 30 Aug 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 8 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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(d)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the registered person developing staff knowledge and skills and improvement of some staff practice issues. It also relates to providing effective management oversight to ensure the home is consistently run in line with the Statement of Purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose (Regulation (16) (1) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the lack of adequate management response to a complaint. Action taken was not in line with the statement of purpose. 30 Aug 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and 30 Aug 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 9 disposal of medicines received into the children’s home (Regulation(23) (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the registered person ensuring that staff follow prescribed timescales for the administration of medication; staff record if medication is refused and take appropriate action in response; any staff member who is administering medication is assessed as competent to do so; and that audits of medication are completed in a timely way.

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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: (Regulation 27 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the need for the home to progress the application of the appointed manager within 12 weeks. 30 Aug 2024

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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; and

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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)) 4 Oct 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 10

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children to be aware of and manage their own safety both inside and outside the home to the extent that any good parent would. Staff should help children to understand how to protect themselves, feel protected and be protected from significant harm. This should include children participating in regular fire drills and having personal evacuation plans in line with their individual needs (Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 43, paragraph 9.9)  The registered person should ensure as set out in regulations 31-33, that good employment practices are followed. They must ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are

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Recommendations

satisfied that the home can meet the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, and that the impact on other children currently living in the home has been fully considered. Any placement considered must be assessed in line with the home’s Statement of Purpose. (Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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: SC436372 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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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

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Netsai Muzuva, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC436372 12 regulates 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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