Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 1 SC456964 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited 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 company. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager at the home has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: 22 February 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2024 Full Good 06/12/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good 25/04/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has moved in. One child has been supported to move on to independent living in a well-managed and planned way. However, due to several staffing changes in the home, children have experienced inconsistency. This has been a barrier to children forming meaningful and supportive relationships with staff and has impacted on their emotional well-being. Furthermore, another child moved into the home without enough consideration being given to the needs of the child already living in the home. This has resulted in the child being unsettled and an increase in the number of missing-from-home episodes for the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff and the manager ensure that the children are supported to maintain relationships with the people who are important to them. Family members are encouraged to visit the home and spend time there, which promotes natural familial relationships. Children have opportunities to express their feelings and wishes. They are supported to take part in activities that interest them. One child has been on a recent holiday with staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s individual health needs. The manager ensures that referrals are made to specialist services when required. Staff try to manage health needs in line with children’s plans. When children refuse intervention or medication, this is clearly recorded. However, the manager has not taken steps to seek a medical review in a timely manner.

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improvement to be good

The children are not currently in school; however, staff promote education in the home and attempt to provide opportunities for children to learn. The manager has been proactive in supporting one child to apply for a college place in September.

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improvement to be good

The home is well maintained, and children have been encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. However, the light switch in the upstairs bathroom is too high for all children to reach, which means that one child is unable to turn the light on and off.

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improvement to be good

There has been a rise in the number of missing-from-home episodes for both children. There are clear protocols in place for the staff to follow when children go missing. Most of the time, staff proactively search for children, which can involve travelling considerable distances. There is good communication with safeguarding partners in local authorities, and the manager challenges other professionals when necessary. A missing- from-home coordinator said, ‘The manager and responsible individual are fantastic. They are great at communicating and know the processes well.’ However, processes that have been implemented for staff to collect the child when they are ready to return are not effective and have sometimes prolonged the length of time that the child is missing. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 4 Furthermore, return home interviews have not always been carried out in a timely manner.

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improvement to be good

Children receive care from staff who care about them and want them to do well. Staff receive a broad range of good-quality training in safeguarding matters. Safe recruitment practices ensure that only the most suitable staff work at the home. Allegations are responded to swiftly by the manager and the responsible individual. Thorough investigations take place and relevant safeguarding partners are notified.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand what they need to do to de-escalate children’s behaviours. This promotes a positive and non-confrontational culture. Incidents in the home are managed effectively and there are clear records and good oversight from the manager. Positive behaviour is promoted and rewarded at the home with the use of incentives. Negative consequences are proportionate, fair and restorative in nature.

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improvement to be good

There is a robust response to disclosures of substance misuse by children. Medical advice is sought, and relevant professionals are informed. Referrals have been made to specialist services and staff encourage children to engage with these.

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improvement to be good

Health and safety checks are regularly carried out to ensure that the home is a safe environment for children.

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

The manager has been in post for three months and is currently applying to register with Ofsted. Her practice is child centred, and she knows the children well. The manager and responsible individual have a clear aspiration to improve the home and are putting systems in place to increase the overall effectiveness of the care provided.

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

There have been several new members of staff recruited. There is a comprehensive training programme in place, which ensures that staff have the necessary skills to meet the needs of the children living in the home. Some staff are qualified and experienced in childcare. New members of staff complete an induction and probation period before being registered to attain a recognised childcare qualification. However, several staff from other homes sometimes work in the home, some of whom do not know the children well. This has resulted in inconsistency for children.

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

Staff say that they feel well supported by the manager and the responsible individual. Staff receive regular supervision, which is of good quality, evaluative and reflective. Team meetings are held regularly and are used as a forum for discussion and learning. The manager is taking steps to upskill staff. For instance, she has created example templates to improve the quality of recording and reporting in the home.

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

Staff and the manager work effectively with other agencies and professionals. They provide effective challenge when necessary and advocate for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 5 The manager has good oversight of the home. However, the statement of purpose has not been updated in a timely manner to reflect changes in staffing in the home. This reduces the oversight of the regulator. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 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

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 har m. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff search for children consistently. Any protocols put in place for collecting children while they are missing from home must not present a barrier to them returning to the home. Furthermore, these protocols must be reviewed regularly to evaluate their effectiveness.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that return home interviews are carried out in a timely manner. 22 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 22 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when children consistently refuse to take medication, this is reviewed by a medical professional.

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when accepting new children into the home, the impact on children already living in the home is fully considered. 22 October 2024

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and 22 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 8 enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the light switch in the bathroom is able to be accessed safely by the children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. (Regulation 31 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that there is a consistent team of staff who are suitably skilled and experienced to provide care for the children in the home. 22 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 22 October 2024

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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: SC456964 9

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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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Inspector

Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456964 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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