Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 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 part of a large national provider of children’s homes. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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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 and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child living in the home is not making progress. The child says they are not happy in the home and that they do not feel well cared for. Changes to the management and staffing team in the home has not provided the child with consistent care. As a result, the child has not developed positive relationships with the adults caring for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Two children have moved on from the home since the last inspection. The management team did not ensure that there was sufficient information for staff to safely care for the children. As a result, the children did not make progress when living in the home. Both children returned to live with family members their families. However, children’s records did not include plans for how they were supported in their transitions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Access to weekly psychological support from an in-house psychologist means that the child receives support for their emotional well-being. However, the child’s records do not reflect the support being provided from internal and external agencies. As a result, strategies to manage and reduce risk are not developed in collaboration with wider professionals who are involved in the child’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child living in the home is not accessing formal education. The child has access to an in-house education programme. However, staff do not understand the child’s barriers to engaging with this. Managers and staff have not taken action following requests from the child to attend a school. Plans for the child do not include how the child’s views of school are promoted or considered. Furthermore, local authority plans for the child’s educational needs have not been reviewed within timescales. This means that staff do not have access to up-to-date information in respect of the child’s education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Plans are not in place to support the child to develop meaningful relationships with the staff team. Staff do not understand the child’s barriers to spending time with them. Opportunities provided to the child to promote engagement are not effective. Activities that are offered are not meaningful or in line with the child’s interests. Staff do not promote existing hobbies or interests for the child. They do not provide activities for the child that they have previously enjoyed. As a result, the child does not have opportunities to develop new friendships or relationships in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child is supported to spend time with family in line with local authority plans. However, plans do not reflect how staff support the child to spend time with friends or maintain connections to their home area. Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 4

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

Conflicting views between professionals of the risks posed to the child means that staff do not understand the child’s risks and vulnerabilities. Poor communication between staff members and managers means that staff do not understand how to support the child in line with their plans. This led to staff imposing restrictions on the child’s movements in the absence of a court directed plan. As a result, the child was not permitted to leave the home to access the garden.

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

Risk assessments and behaviour management plans do not provide clear guidance for staff to follow. Identified strategies are not effective in reducing or preventing risks to the child. Staff do not report the child as missing in line with their care plan. This means that there are delays in the child being reported as missing from the home.

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

Staff do not demonstrate professional curiosity following incidents of the child being missing. They do not recognise the risks posed to the child in respect of exploitation. Staff are not caring or empathic in their responses to the child when they share information regarding their experiences of being away from the home. As a result, opportunities to explore the risks posed the child during times of being missing in the community have been missed.

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

There have been no incidents of the child being physically held. However, de-escalation techniques to manage incidents of challenging behaviour are not effective. The child is not supported to manage their emotions at times of distress. As a result, an incident of fire setting took place in the home. Leaders and managers do not identify when further support is required by the child to understand the implications of their behaviour and the need to evacuate the home safely.

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

Positive behaviour is not consistently promoted by the staff team. The use of rewards following negative behaviour means that the child is not supported to understand safe and acceptable behaviour.

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

Staff do not follow plans in respect of the child smoking tobacco or electronic cigarettes. Staff responses to incidents of smoking are inconsistent. On one occasion the child was provided with tobacco by staff. This means that the child is not provided with consistent support to reduce their intake of tobacco.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Numerous changes to the management of the home means that the oversight of the care being provided in the home is inconsistent. The current manager has recently moved from another home in the organisation. She also manages another home within close proximity. Staff say that there has been in increase in support since the current manager has been in post. Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 5 The lack of support from senior leaders and managers means that the current manager does not a clear understanding of the home. Information about children who had previously lived in the home has not been shared nor the outcomes from previous inspections.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The current manager has made some improvements in the home. However, systems are not yet embedded into practice to ensure that there is effective and consistent oversight of the care being provided. Systems are not in place for the manager to review direct work that has been completed with the child. As a result, shortfalls in the quality of this work are not identified. Some staff practice issues are addressed in team meetings however, records do not demonstrate that shortfalls are addressed with staff on an individual basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The child is cared for by a small team of staff. Staff from other homes in the organisation cover any shortfalls in staffing. However, this means that the child is often cared for by unfamiliar staff. The monitoring and oversight of the staff team by leaders and managers is poor. As a result, staff have not undertaken the required training relevant to their roles and refresher courses have not been completed within timescales. This means that the child is not cared for by a staff team who have the relevant knowledge and skills to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive regular supervision. Arrangements are not in place to ensure that staff new to the home have more frequent supervision to support them in their roles. Team meetings do not take place consistently. This means that the staff team do not have the opportunities to reflect on the care being provided to the child on a regular basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The independent visitor visits the home monthly. However, recommendations and actions identified within reports are not addressed promptly by leaders and managers. Quality of care reports lack detail of shortfalls and improvements that are needed. Reports are not shared with Ofsted within timescales. Furthermore, managers have not notified Ofsted following serious incidents in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 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

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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s records provide clear guidance for staff to follow to prevent and minimise risk to the child, that staff follow plans to safeguard the child, and that staff understand the risks relating to the child. 3 November 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— 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 7 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

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 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’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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

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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that they evaluate all aspects of children’s care; that all staff undertake training relevant to their roles and the child’s specific needs; and that shortfalls in the care provided are identified and addressed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. *The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 8 understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that plans are in place to support the child to access education.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 9 communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(b)

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that leaders and managers ensure that the child is supported to develop positive relationships with the staff team, that direct work with children is undertaken following incidents; that this work is meaningful and professionally curious; and that the child’s views are reflected in their plans. The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 10 that staff help each child to—

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Requirement Due date

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(b)

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that leaders and managers ensure that plans are in place for the child to access activities and hobbies in line with their interests. The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 11 the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(e)(i)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that leaders and managers ensure that plans are in place to support children moving in and out of the home which demonstrate how the child’s needs are to be met and that plans are reviewed when the child is not making progress in the home. The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 3 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 3 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 12 any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2662847 13

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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

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2662847 14 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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