Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456846 1 SC456846 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

This privately run home offers care for up to three children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 19 September 2023

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456846 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/09/2023 Full Good 01/11/2022 Full Good 03/11/2021 Full Outstanding 03/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC456846 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Five children have lived at this home since the last inspection. One child successfully moved on to semi-independent living. Another child moved out following a serious incident that meant the staff could no longer keep them safe. Three children are currently living at the home, and they all took part in the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home feels warm and welcoming. It is undergoing some decoration to further improve the standard. The home was beautifully decorated for Halloween. Children’s bedrooms are personalised with good-quality furniture. There are two cats and a dog, which adds to the homely feel. Children are supported to learn how to care for the animals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child had an agreed plan to move home to their parents but has chosen to stay at the home. This has been supported by their local authority. This child has made excellent progress and feels safe and settled at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Thought and care go into meeting individual children’s needs. One child is very young and has recently moved into the home. Leaders and managers recognised that staff needed to adapt their practice and have guided them. Staff are able to offer a nurturing approach and tactile play suitable for the child’s developmental stage. This child is making excellent progress. Her social worker and independent reviewing officer both noted this. The child’s social worker said, ‘The change is amazing,’ and said, ‘This is first time the child has felt safe.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of family relationships and help children to navigate them. Staff build relationships with families and keep them updated. Staff take children to visit their families, and families visit the home. Planning for Christmas is taking place. The staff have bought food hampers for children who spend Christmas with their families. Consideration for children’s families helps staff to build positive and inclusive relationships with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have education plans tailored to their needs. One child has a bespoke timetable at college, and two children are in mainstream education. Staff drive a three- hour round trip twice a day to support one child to attend school. The child has been at this school since before moving to the home. Staff are supporting them to maintain this school place, enabling a sense of stability for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered a wide range of activities. One child goes to a local Scouts club and plays football each week. Other children prefer to spend time with friends, and this is supported by the staff. Children’s friends are made welcome at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456846 4

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

Children’s risk management plans are considered and individual to them. The staff use a graded risk system to ensure they are aware of any challenges and direct them in how to support the children.

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

Children have positive relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them. Staff have important conversations with children to guide them through difficult times they may have.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When they do, staff look for them immediately. Records are clear, and children are always offered the opportunity to reflect with an independent person and someone from the home.

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

At times, staff physically intervene with children to keep them safe. These interventions have been reasonable and proportionate. Leaders and managers always review these incidents, and children are given time to reflect on them and talk about them with a manager.

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

There is a strong safeguarding ethos. The staff act quickly when there are any worries. The local authority designated officer said that the staff work well alongside them and report any necessary issues. The manager keeps meticulous records for any concerns; these capture all related communication and the outcome of each incident.

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

Staff use incentives and rewards to encourage positive behaviour. Incentives are individual to each child, and their goals are relevant to them. Staff provide appropriate boundaries and structure for children. One social worker said that the staff had helped the child to create healthy day-to-day expectations. Having structure like this helps children to feel safe.

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

On one occasion, there was a serious incident with a child when a staff member was hurt. The child’s behaviour was unpredictable, and a member of staff was injured. This staff member was working alone with the child. It is unclear how the child’s needs could be met by one staff member. There was a lone-working assessment in place, but it was not specific enough for the child. The incident has been appropriately investigated, and the home worked alongside the health and safety executive to review it. The matter has been closed, and the actions identified have been followed through.

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

Recruitment checks are undertaken for new staff. However, the references for one staff member were not rigorous enough.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a confident and motivated manager. She works closely with her deputy manager and they make a good team. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456846 5 The manager works well alongside other professionals and received good feedback from all of the children’s social workers. Creating positive relationships helps to ensure children have joined-up and effectively planned care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff spoke highly of the manager and the support she offers them. They said she is approachable and always available to them. Staff said that she keeps the children at the centre of what she does.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Each day the staff write children a letter. The letters build a strong picture of children’s day-to-day lives. These help children to understand and recall their time at the home. The letters are available to children, and they can ask to see these. Children take these with them when they move on from the home; these provide rich and detailed memories.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight is very good and can be seen throughout the home’s day-to-day paperwork. The manager has challenged staff on the use of language. She encourages them to think about their practice and how it can be more therapeutic. When staff practice does not meet the required standards, leaders and managers are quick to challenge this and support staff to improve. They are confident in following the correct process to ensure that children receive a good level of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When a younger child moved in, the manager reached out to colleagues with expertise in this area. She has used this to create some guidance for staff and discussed this in a team meeting. This has helped staff practice to improve, and this in turn has led to the child’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well established in the local community. There are positive relationships with neighbours. This helps children to feel part of their local community and gives them a sense of belonging. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456846 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments for staff who work alone with children consider individual children’s needs. 25 November 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice. They should ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. In particular, ensure that references reflect the employees previous experience. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: SC456846 7

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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

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456846 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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