Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 1 SC415710 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 registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties. The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were 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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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

Date of last inspection: 12 September 2023

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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: SC415710 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/06/2023 Full Inadequate 29/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved out of the home since the last inspection. The staff supported one child to make progress, and as a result, a deprivation of liberty order was no longer required, and the child was able to take the next step towards moving back with their family. Another child moved out due to wanting to be closer to their home area, and this was agreed between the manager and the child’s placing authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home. Previously, this child has had very limited experiences. However, they say the home is ‘friendly and fun’. This child has had many first experiences living at the home, including trips to the beach and playing in the arcades. They were also excited for Halloween so they could experience trick or treating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The two children can get on well and enjoy each other’s company. However, they can also have disagreements and arguments. These are well managed by the staff and risks are reduced through appropriate supervision. However, the manager has not ensured that the staff have received anti bullying training, which would support them to identify and address bullying should it arise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s existing and newfound hobbies are encouraged by the staff and include baking, building bikes, swimming lessons and going to the gym. The children also love spending time with a staff member’s dogs, who they regularly bring for a visit. Both children have also attended awards evenings held by their local authorities. This ensures that children maintain links with their communities, and it also celebrates their identities as children who are looked after.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are attending and enjoying school. For one child, this is a relatively new placement and his first since living at the home. The manager’s tenacity ensured that a school was identified and agreed for the child. As an interim measure, the staff team supported the child with educational activities throughout the day that were structured, varied and well planned. This ensured that the child was prepared for a return to school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff and children take pride in the home and keep it nicely decorated and clean. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and they are proud of these. However, although rectified during the inspection, the children did not have access to one of the shower rooms and the use of bedroom door alarms are not assessed as being required or reviewed. Additionally, children’s snacks are kept in a fridge in the staff office. While this is used to monitor snacks and ensure that children receive a fair share, these practices impact on children’s privacy and their access to communal areas of their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by nurturing and responsive staff, with whom they have strong relationships. Children are regularly consulted with on their views, wishes and feelings from the small things through to larger decisions on their future. The staff have regular Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 4 discussions with children that not only support their care plans but also on issues that arise on a day-to-day basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with family when this is part of their plan. The staff also welcome the children’s friends to the home and on other activities. Children’s memories are captured by the staff and recorded so that children can look back on these.

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

Children’s safety and well-being are prioritised by the staff. As a result, the children are happy and feel safe. The staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs. One social worker said, ‘They know [name of child] and know what is important to them.’ Children know that they can speak to staff if they have any worries.

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

Positive recognition outweighs the use of consequences. The staff are creative in their use of rewards, including a lucky dip bag full of the children’s favourite toys. When consequences are used, they are appropriate and restorative in nature. The staff support the children to understand why they have been given consequences and to reflect on these.

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

The staff are skilled in using positive behaviour support strategies, including de- escalation techniques, and children’s individual risks are well understood. There have been three incidents of restraint. However, when this restraint has been used, it has been necessary and proportionate. Following any incidents, the children’s feelings are considered and the staff support the children to restore and rebuild relationships.

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

Staff practice is child focused. Children are supported following an incident and staff make attempts to unpick the behaviours. For example, when a child self-harmed, the staff have managed this sensitively to support the child to identify the reasons why they were distressed.

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

Generally, safer recruitment processes are followed. However, it is not always clear how decisions have been reached on employing a staff member when there have been concerns brought to light through pre-employment checks. Additionally, the manager has not made thorough enquiries as to why a reference was not supplied.

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

When an allegation is made, immediate safeguards are implemented to ensure the children’s safety while investigations are carried out. However, on one occasion the local authority designated officer was not notified of an incident in a timely manner.

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

The staff have good knowledge of the missing-from-home processes for each child. Staff will actively search for the children to ensure their safety. When children return, staff welcome them home and ensure that return home interviews are completed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A change in management has benefited the children and the staff. The manager is a real presence in the home and she has a clear plan for development. The staff report ‘massive improvements’ since the manager took over.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular supervisions and appraisals. Supervision is supportive and allows staff time to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children. There is time dedicated in supervision to ask staff how they feel. This means that staff feel valued and listened to. One staff member stated supervision is ‘supportive and reflective’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly. There is a clear agenda, which is followed and children can add things to the agenda should they wish. Additionally, further team meetings are held prior to a child moving into the home to ensure that staff have the information they need to support the children. As a result, children feel supported when they move into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is clear management oversight when there have been incidents. This is evaluative and considers areas for development for the staff team. However, prior to the manager being in post, there has been one significant incident whereby limited information was provided to the regulator. This lack of information reduces the oversight of children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals identify communication as a strength of the home since the change in manager. A social worker said, ‘Communication is brilliant.’ The manager and staff support good levels of communication with other professionals and each other. This means that multi-agency support for children is effective. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 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 privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Requirement 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates specifically to the registered person ensuring that children having access to all communal areas in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This further relates to the use of bedroom door alarms to be assessed and regularly reviewed.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, this relates to children being able to access appropriate snacks from the communal fridge in the kitchen. 29 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or 29 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 7 if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that the assessment on employing staff with criminal convictions clearly shows the rationale for their decision.

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Requirement Due date

This additionally relates to the registered manager ensuring that they have made all appropriate attempts to understand any gaps relating to the information required under schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation— 29 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 8 must include details of—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. (Regulation 40 (4)(c) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager ensuring that the regulator is informed of any event listed above without delay and that the notifications contain the information required so that the regulator has an overview of what is happening for children living in the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively. (See regulation 34(3) on the policy for the prevention of bullying. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)  The registered person should ensure that the local authority designated officer is informed of any allegations against staff promptly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.18)

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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: SC415710 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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Inspectors

Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Kitty Wiper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 10 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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