Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Staffordshire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1258091 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private organisation and provides care for up to five children between the ages of six and 15 years. Children may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since March 2024 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. Three children spoke with the inspector.

p.1

Inspection date: 21 November 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

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: 1258091 2

p.1

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.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, in April 2024, several allegations have been made by children about the staff who care for them. Leaders have consulted well with external professionals, including social workers and the local authority designated officer, following each allegation. Children are spoken to promptly by an independent person when they raise a concern, and this helps them to feel reassured that they have been heard.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and staff reflect on allegations and talk through children’s needs and behaviours with a designated behavioural specialist who supports the team. Staff have recently completed training about therapeutic parenting and the PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) model. Staff’s increased understanding about children’s behaviours and their triggers has meant that the number of allegations has reduced over time. However, there have been several allegations that have not been notified to Ofsted in a timely manner.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children said they love living in the home. Leaders and staff remain very child- focused and committed to providing children with enriching experiences. Children regularly engage in activities in the local community, including going to youth clubs, taking part in charitable events and going on holidays. Children are comfortable around staff in the home and have positive relationships with each other.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

There have been significant improvements to the home environment since the last inspection. A large lounge space has been separated into two rooms that have been decorated to a good standard. This gives children increased choice about whether they want to relax individually or together. Children’s bedrooms have been decorated to their taste. As a result, children feel at home and secure.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

When physical intervention is used, staff use the techniques they are trained to use safely. Due to staff’s increased awareness of the reasons for children’s behaviour, incidents of restraint have become less frequent. Children and staff are provided with opportunities to reflect with leaders. However, incident reports are not always clear and the language is not always child-focused. The manager is aware of this and plans are in place to enhance staff skills.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

There have been staffing shortages over the last few months. Consequently, the manager has covered many shifts. This has impacted her ability to have full oversight of practice in the home. The manager has had to be supported by the responsible individual to improve oversight.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Care planning has not been effective for one child. Information provided at the point of referral was not considered sufficiently, and staff were unable to meet the child’s Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1258091 3 needs. This meant that the child had to move on a short time after they had moved in.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/04/2024 Full Good 27/09/2023 Full Good 20/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1258091 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.4

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

p.4

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s needs and the staff’s ability to meet their needs are fully considered before children are admitted to the home. 19 December

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that they recruit enough staff to meet the needs of the children and demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1258091 5 staffing so that children’s attachments are not overly disrupted. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public

p.4

Recommendations

holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1258091 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

p.6

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Deborah Robertson-Kesterton

p.6

Inspector

Chanel Bryant, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 1258091 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7