Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Somerset

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1240802 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a large private organisation. It can provide care for up to five children. The home provides specialist support for children who have experienced exploitation. At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

Staff in the home are referred to as carers. This is reflected in the report.

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Inspection date: 13 November 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 13 November 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has 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: 1240802 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The children are all new to the home since the previous inspection. They are beginning to build close relationships with the carers. Carers know the children’s backgrounds and plans well. Since the previous inspection, one child has moved on from the home. This was a planned move to support the child to move closer to their hometown. The inspector was unable to meet with the children during the inspection. Only one child was available, and they did not want to speak to the inspector.

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Findings from the inspection

Three of the children are engaging well with education. Carers are making attempts for alternative education to be provided for the fourth child. Support for children’s sexual health has improved. Clear advice is provided to children about consent and support to access sexual health services is quick and proactive. Children are regularly offered health appointments. Carers talk sensitively to children about healthy relationships and sexual health.

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Findings from the inspection

Support for children to reduce harmful behaviours such as vaping and smoking is lacking. It is not clear to carers whether they should challenge behaviours like vaping and, if so, how they should do this. Conversations with children take place but there is no consistent approach among carers on how to tackle this.

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Findings from the inspection

The physical environment is now more homely. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and the children have been involved in choosing new furniture and soft furnishings. This helps children to feel valued and to take pride in their home. Locks have been removed from the children’s bedrooms and the number of incidents involving children barricading in rooms has significantly reduced.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the full inspection, there has been one occasion when children have barricaded themselves in a child’s room. Carers followed the processes in place and no children were harmed. Learning from this incident led to changes in policy and no further incidents have taken place.

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Findings from the inspection

The number of incidents of children going missing has reduced for three of the children from their starting points. The fourth child has only just moved into the home and has not been involved in any incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

Carers know the processes to follow when children go missing from home. They search for children and make efforts to contact known friends or family members to help to locate children quickly. External professionals are informed, and links have been made with local organisations and the British Transport Police to help reduce risks to children. The manager has systems in place to review practice and the frequency of incidents in the home to understand patterns and trends. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1240802 3 The manager reviews carers’ actions after incidents to understand any errors and learn from them. However, the focus of these reviews is on how the children or carers have felt about the incident. They do not sufficiently consider whether different actions at an earlier point would have led to safer outcomes for children.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been an issue with the number of carers available on shift who are able to drive. This caused a delay in searching for and collecting children at a time when they were vulnerable. A thorough investigation was conducted when concerns about carers’ practice was raised and relevant safeguarding professionals were consulted.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/02/2023 Full Good 29/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1240802 4

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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 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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children’s plans must be clear in respect of any boundaries or restrictions, so children and staff know what is expected of them. In addition, the manager must have systems in place to review how effective care has been so that improvements can be made. 30 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. 30 August 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1240802 5 A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the independent visitor’s reports must be used by the manager to review care and drive improvement. The manager should ensure that feedback from external professionals, family and the children, where appropriate, is obtained and used to strengthen practice and improve the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person and carers should ensure that when a child is not in school, they are supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)  The registered person should ensure that carers have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand and, when necessary, work to change negative behaviour in key areas of health and well-being. In particular, this refers to working with the children to reduce the frequency of smoking and

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Recommendations

vaping and identify how carers will help them to reduce these harmful behaviours. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1240802 6

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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

Nickie Doney, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1240802 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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