Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Essex

Inspection report children's home: 1258092 1 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 privately owned and provides care for up to four children who may have had traumatic experiences that have left them vulnerable. There were four children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2023.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 6 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1258092 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2024 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Good 10/05/2021 Full Good 23/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1258092 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Four children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. Two children have moved out and two children have moved in since the last inspection. Three of the children spoke to the inspector during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite some shortfalls in safeguarding children, the children have many positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in education from their starting points. Children said that they enjoy the activities that are offered to them. When asked what they like about the home, one child said ‘the activities’. One child said that they enjoyed helping staff to cook.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to maintain links with the people who are important to them. Staff support children with their family time, which helps them to maintain important family connections.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children identified staff who they can talk to if they are worried or upset. Positive, warm and nurturing interactions were observed between the children and the staff. The children have positive relationships with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children who moved after four years at the home have both had positive endings. They had leaving parties and well-planned moves out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, one of the ensuite bathrooms was dirty with a strong smell of urine and excessive urine all over the floor. Despite this being raised during the inspection, the bathroom was not cleaned quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s front door is magnetically locked. This means that all children have to ask permission from staff to open it. Leaders and managers have deemed this necessary to safeguard children. However, this restriction is not reviewed in line with children’s emerging independence.

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improvement to be good

Allegations against staff have been investigated. However, one external professional was not informed about safeguarding incidents. These include one serious allegation of abuse made against a staff member.

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improvement to be good

Two staff spoken with did not demonstrate a good understanding or knowledge of the risk-reduction strategies for a child, despite signing the plans to confirm that they have read them. These risks are assessed and safety measures are provided for staff, Inspection report children's home: 1258092 4 following some significant incidents. Lack of full understanding of the risks does not ensure that all staff are equipped to keep the child safe.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers investigated a serious incident between children. However, they were unable to demonstrate that the children’s social workers are satisfied with the investigation and outcome.

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improvement to be good

Restraints are used only when necessary and incidents are managed well by staff. However, there was a lack of evidence of staff and children always having debriefs following incidents of restraint.

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improvement to be good

Managers have failed to evidence satisfactory exploration of an employment gap in one staff member’s employment history.

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improvement to be good

There have been no complaints made by children. The children’s guide contains information to help children understand who to speak to if they are worried or if they need support outside the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2023. She is suitably qualified and experienced. She is respected by the staff, who feel supported. The manager has built good relationships with external professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from monthly meetings and engage in consultations and training sessions with the home’s mental health practitioner. Staff also undertake the organisation’s mandatory training. Some staff are suitably qualified. Those who are not qualified have been enrolled on a relevant level 3 diploma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from the support of a clinician who is employed by the organisation. She holds support and staff development consultations with the team. She has worked with the team following significant incidents and provided training including in trauma attachment and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from weekly sessions with a play therapist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A staff member said that they have monthly supervision sessions and that they find them helpful. However, some records of staff supervision and appraisal are not fully completed. This does not provide clarity on the discussions held and actions agreed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is mixed. A child’s social worker said that the child’s move into the home was positive and child centred. Another professional said, ‘The children appear to be very well looked after and cared for.’ Two professionals said that communication is not always clear. Inspection report children's home: 1258092 5 The home has recently lost several experienced members of staff. A recruitment drive is underway. Some staff’s morale is low. A member of staff said, ‘The role is stressful and can take it out of you, especially as staff have left.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The decision to magnetically lock the front door is not detailed in the home’s statement of purpose. This practice is therefore not transparently shared. Inspection report children's home: 1258092 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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand their roles in safeguarding and are familiar with the identified risks and the measures to keep children safe. 18 October 2024

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iv)(vi)) 18 October 2024 Inspection report children's home: 1258092 7 In particular, ensure that all relevant agencies are informed of, and are satisfied with, the outcomes of safeguarding investigations. 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 bathrooms are clean, well maintained and provide a hygienic personal space. 18 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of any measure of control, they, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 18 October 2024 Inspection report children's home: 1258092 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure, as set out in regulations 31-33, that they maintain good employment practice. In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff declare a full employment history, together with a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment. The registered person should assure themselves and evidence that gaps are satisfactorily explored and explained. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that the home's Statement of Purpose is child- focused, indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the Quality Standards for the children in their care. In particular the registered person should ensure that the home's statement of purpose reflects on the day-to-day staff practice with regards to locked doors. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including

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Recommendations

the quality standards', page 14, paragraph 3.5)  The registered person should ensure that a note of the content and outcomes of supervision and appraisal sessions are kept and that both the person giving the supervision or appraisal and the staff member have a copy of the record. In particular, ensure that records are well detailed and make clear any agreed actions. (Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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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 children's home: 1258092 9

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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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Inspector

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1258092 10 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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