Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Salford

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection. One child had recently moved out.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2020. The manager is not currently working at the home. An interim manager is in post.

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Inspection date: 31 October 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: Following the inspection on 14 May 2024, compliance notices were issued regarding regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. These compliances were monitored on 4 July 2024, when they were judged to have been met. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 2

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 3

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Findings from the inspection

Following an escalation in serious safeguarding notifications, an assurance inspection was carried out on 31 October 2024.

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Inadequate management arrangements do not safeguard or protect children.  Staff do not have an understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe and protecting them from harm.  Staff do not recognise the risk of child exploitation.  Medication is not stored and managed safely.  Management oversight of incidents and records is poor. Managers do not identify or address shortfalls in staff practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have been left in dangerous situations which could have been prevented. One child has recently moved out after being left at risk in the community. The child suffered harm and trauma due to poor safeguarding practices.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not show any curiosity about where children are going or who they are spending time with when out of the home. Staff do not keep in touch with children when they are out. The children’s safety is significantly compromised.

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Findings from the inspection

When children are missing from home, staff do not follow the missing-from-home protocol. In addition, due to the lack of staff curiosity, they are unable to help police locate children and bring them home safely at the earliest opportunity. One member of staff reported to police that they do not know who any of the child’s friends are. As a result, children have experienced significant harm.

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Findings from the inspection

When children return home, staff do not always welcome them into the home and make sure that they are safe. On one occasion, one child was able to bring a friend into the home and hide them in their bedroom overnight. This went completely unnoticed by staff, and only came to light when the local authority raised it with them several days later. This compromised the safety of the children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not always review incident records or identify serious shortfalls in staff practice. In addition, when learning is identified it is not shared effectively. This means that children have continued to be left at risk.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are not treated with dignity and respect. Staff do not protect children’s privacy and fail to consider children’s emotional well-being during serious incidents. Staff allowed one child to witness a sensitive and traumatic incident involving another child. Staff did not consider the impact that this could have on both of the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 4 children. In addition, children are not always offered an opportunity to reflect after traumatic incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not respond effectively when children request support with their health needs. On one occasion, staff did not take a child to an urgently required medical appointment. This put the child at risk.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff do not ensure that medication is stored securely. In addition, records are not kept up to date. On the day of the inspection, large quantities of medication were seen left out on a chair. The manager did not know why the medication was not locked away.

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Findings from the inspection

During the inspection, one child’s bedroom smelt of cannabis. After inspectors raised this, a room search was completed. Staff found medication in the child’s bedroom. Staff were unaware of what the medication was for, or the fact that the child had it. This put the child at significant risk, particularly as there is a known risk of self- harming.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager has not been working in the home since June 2024. The provider has not ensured that appropriate arrangements have been made to cover this absence. Consequently, the home has been managed by different managers from within the company. This has resulted in significant gaps in management oversight and a lack of day-to-day leadership in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The recommendations from the previous inspection were not explored during the visit and therefore remain in place. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/08/2024 Full Good 14/05/2024 Full Inadequate 25/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/07/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 6

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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 harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff know what their roles and responsibilities are in keeping children safe and protecting them from harm. 29 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 7 Leaders and managers must ensure that staff attend training in safeguarding and child protection, behaviour management, self-harm, and online safety. They should ensure that staff can demonstrate a good understanding of what they have learned.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have a good understanding of the risk of child exploitation and what actions they should take to manage or reduce the risk.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff know what action to take when children are missing from home and that they follow the plans in place.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that all medication is stored securely.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive training on managing medication safely, including self- medication.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there are clear records in place for the administration and refusal of medication.

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Requirement Due date

*The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires, and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications, and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 29 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 8 understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met.

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there are effective monitoring systems in place to review staff practice.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have opportunities for learning and reflection when there are shortfalls in practice.

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Requirement Due date

The provider must ensure that a consistent manager is appointed to manage the home effectively and safely.

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Requirement Due date

The provider must ensure that there is a responsible individual appointed who has the capacity, experience, and skills to supervise the management of the home.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being, such as the use of vapes and tobacco. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. This includes clear recording regarding treatment plans for children with an injury. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 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

Sarah Probert, Social Care Inspector Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594007 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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