Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Warwickshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457488 1 SC457488 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

The home is owned by a private provider and offers care for up to three children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been registered since 11 April 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 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC457488 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC457488 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child was present during part of the inspection and time was spent speaking with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming, well-furnished and decorated throughout. Repairs are complete and the child has helped with some of these. The child’s bedroom is personalised and recently decorated with their choice of colour. There are several sensory areas within the home, so the child has space for outdoor messy play, arts and crafts, and an indoor play area. There is a wide range of toys and equipment, so the child has lots of choice. However, most doors upstairs are locked. Therefore, staff use a bunch of keys, which can feel institutionalised and detract from the homely feel.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made good progress in education and enjoys time at school. Professionals report that staff do very well in helping the child achieve good attendance. Staff have supported the child with structure and routine, so the morning tasks are more achievable and the child attends school on time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is regularly encouraged to express their views, wishes and feelings. This can be at weekly meetings, or in general discussions with staff. Staff engage the child in a range of one-to-one sessions to address conversations that naturally occur, so they can explore views and understanding, or any specific issues that may arise. This is to help the child understand and make informed decisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Brief observations of staff interacting with the child are warm and friendly. Staff speak to the child in a kind and caring manner and there is laughter and fun, revealing the positive relationships that staff have built with the child. They play games together, build LEGO and play outside in the garden. The child said they like life at the home and that staff are kind and caring.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to improve their emotional well-being by using a nurturing and warm approach. Professionals and parents report that there is an improvement in the child’s presentation and well-being, and staff have worked hard to help with this progression.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to explore a range of activities and experiences out of the home, to provide opportunities to practise and develop social skills, communication, problem solving, and emotional regulation in different contexts. The child has enjoyed camping, fishing and going to a museum with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home uses natural consequences and restorative work to help the child learn what is socially acceptable, repair relationships and understand the impact of negative behaviour. When damage was caused to the home, the child was supported by staff to shop for materials and help fix the repair. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457488 4 Staff help the child maintain positive relationships with family, and the child has been supported to enjoy regular outings and activities with their family. Family time was recently increased, in line with the child’s wishes and feelings. Professionals say that the child is keen to share their opinions, and staff have supported this to help the child feel ‘seen and heard’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moving-in and moving-on plans are robust and thorough. The registered manager and staff spend time building relationships with children before they move in, and liaising with parents and professionals, so the best decisions are made for children and there are smooth transitions.

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

Electronic device checks and robust filtering systems are in place, with strict parental controls. Staff support the child to understand how to keep safe online. Staff complete worksheets with the child focusing on online bullying, keeping personal details safe, and declining requests from unknown ‘friends’. Staff ask the child questions to explore their learning and ensure they understand.

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

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding protocols and support the child to help them keep safe. Documents are up to date, and behaviour and support needs are clear, which help staff understand how to respond to any risk or harm.

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

Restraint has been used several times and records demonstrate the reasons for this and how it was managed by staff, and that it was necessary and proportionate. However, there are some inconsistencies in records, meaning they are not always accurate or clear. The Children’s Home Regulations state that managers should have oversight of records within set timescales. However, occasionally, there are significant delays.

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

The registered manager deals with allegations effectively, and she addresses concerns with staff in supervision. The registered manager supports staff to reflect on incidents and consider different ways to manage a situation. However, on one occasion, she did not seek support from the local area designated officer (LADO) until another professional suggested this. Referring to the LADO is vital, as they provide advice, information and guidance around allegations and concerns to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively.

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

Medication administration records are clear and there are robust measures in place to ensure that staff take any dropped tablets to the pharmacy and they dispose them. Staff contact school each day to ensure that school staff administer medication accordingly and store it within guidelines. There have been no medication errors since the last inspection. However, if any occur, staff undertake competency testing and complete refresher training to ensure they understand how to administer, store and record medication correctly. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457488 5 Staff complete fire and health and safety checks in line with guidelines on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Robust records are kept so staff can manage checks effectively and monitor any concerns. The registered manager keeps additional records so that she can double check that fire and safety processes are upheld.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the child and are enthusiastic about the care provided. Staff know the child’s likes, dislikes and support needs and give positive examples of progress. The registered manager is a strong advocate for the child and has escalated concerns, where external agencies have not met support needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager shows a high level of commitment and dedication to staff. Leaders are supportive and have helped her develop the home and improve standards, so that the child experiences a nurturing and therapeutic environment and a level of care that helps the child thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Previously, staff felt unsettled, and this led to instability and inconsistency in the home. However, prior to the current child moving in, leaders and managers focused on recruiting new staff members who have the required experience and skills to deliver a high level of care and understand a nurturing approach. This has provided the child with stability in the home. Agency-employed staff are rarely used. However, when they are, experienced and familiar staff are used to ensure that the child feels safe and comfortable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In addition to mandatory training, leaders and managers arranged for all staff to complete a range of specialist training to ensure that they have the knowledge and ability to meet the child’s needs. A specialist clinician provides additional support to staff, which includes giving advice, alongside trauma-informed training and reflective discussion, to improve practice. All staff are working towards the required qualification. However, it is only the registered manager who has the level 3 diploma in residential childcare or equivalent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said managers support them well and they receive regular supervision and appraisals, and value the upskilling sessions that the clinician delivers in team meetings. Staff said they enjoy working at the home and that the culture in the home is positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has oversight of documents, and monitoring and review systems are in place. Leaders and managers complete an internal quality assurance review each month, so they can evaluate all aspects of the child’s support. Robust records highlight where there are weaknesses, and learning is taken from previous inspections, so that targets are set to make improvements. In addition to this, the registered manager keeps a database of tasks that need completing, so they do not remain outstanding. However, the statement of purpose has incorrect information within the document. The registered manager has recently submitted the document in line with the Children’s Home Regulations, but it contains mistakes. Therefore, information is not clear and accurate. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457488 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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all staff are working towards the required level 3 diploma for residential childcare, and that this is achieved within timescales, as set out above. 28 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC457488 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing environment that meets the needs of children. In particular, the registered person should review staff practice of carrying keys, and the number of locked doors within the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that records of restraint enable staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. In particular, the registered manager should have management oversight of restraint records and ensure they are clear and recorded within timescales, as outlined in the Children’s Home Regulations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  Each local authority should have clear arrangements in place for the management and

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Recommendations

oversight of allegations against people that work with children. The relevant officer or teams within the local authority should be informed promptly of all allegations that come to an employer’s attention or that are made directly to the police. For further information, including about the role of a local authority designated officer, see the statutory guidance Working together to safeguard children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.8)  The information set out in the statement of purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and placing authority, ensuring that a placement in the home is the right one for that child, and that the home will be able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. In particular, the registered manager should ensure that information in the statement of purpose is accurate and a

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Recommendations

true reflection of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.6)

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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: SC457488 8

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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

Emma Fryer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC457488 9 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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Inspector

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