Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 1 SC456535

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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 operated by a private organisation and provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 3 April 2024.

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Inspection date: 15 January 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 15 January 2025

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: SC456535 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 child lives in a comfortable home that has been redecorated since the last inspection. The home is personalised to meet the child’s needs and there are photos of the child displayed on the walls.

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Findings from the inspection

The child is enabled to build trusted relationships with staff. Staff were observed to be listening to the child and responding to them in a warm and positive way. These positive relationships are helping the child to learn what a respectful relationship looks like and how to create one.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support the child to maintain good physical health and attend health appointments. Staff have supported the child to be referred for a specialist assessment.

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Findings from the inspection

The child is involved in decisions about their daily care. The child’s wishes and feelings are ascertained on a regular basis and responded to in a timely way. The child said that they feel listened to by staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Individual work is carried out with the child on important issues, such as sexual health, hygiene, gaming and social media. This work is focused and specific to the child’s needs and daily experiences.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not provide the child with consistent routines or structure. Large parts of the child’s day are spent engaging in unstructured activities, such as playing on their games console and watching online videos. Furthermore, staff do not consistently support the child to engage in a range of activities outside the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s educational progress is limited. The child is not enrolled at a school. The staff have tried to engage the child in home learning; however, this is inconsistent. Additionally, the lack of a daily routine for the child further impacts on this and does not prepare the child for starting school.

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Findings from the inspection

The child said they like living in the home and that it is better than the previous homes they have lived in. The child knows how to make a complaint and identified a trusted adult to talk to.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk assessments are in place and are updated regularly. There are strategies in place to protect the child from harm. Staff understand the risks and know what to do if the child goes missing from the home. This means that the child is safeguarded effectively because of the care that they experience. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 3 Some incident records lack detail about what happened and the actions taken. The language used is inconsistent and not always child friendly. The manager has already identified this as an area for improvement. There is management evaluation of incidents, which includes an analysis of staff practice. Debriefs take place with the child and members of staff individually following incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Staff use effective de-escalation techniques, and there have not been any physical interventions. This helps to create a positive environment where the child can flourish.

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Findings from the inspection

Searches of bedrooms are carried out sensitively by staff. All searches are recorded appropriately. The reasons for the search are clear and there is management oversight.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is managed by a suitably qualified manager. The manager knows the child well and advocates for what is in their best interests. The manager is supported by a deputy manager who works in the home full time. Staff described the managers as ‘supportive’ and said that they enjoy working in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The statement of purpose reflects the current staff team working in the home. There is a stable core staff team in place; however, there is one vacancy for which recruitment is ongoing. Staff work hard to cover the gaps as this helps to ensure consistency for the child, and other staff in the company are also used.

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Findings from the inspection

There is now a record of the actual hours worked by staff. However, the manager is not always there as he divides his time with another home. The rosters do not include the manager’s actual hours. This does not provide an accurate picture of when the manager is working in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Team meetings take place regularly, which allows for information-sharing and feedback. There is management oversight of the team meeting minutes.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, the manager has worked hard to address the requirements and recommendations made. However, shortfalls remain in some areas and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/08/2023 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Good 22/03/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring that the child is provided with consistent daily routines that are appropriate for their stage of development. 15 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 15 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 6 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered person ensuring that staff support the child to attend school as detailed in their relevant plans. When a child is not attending school, staff must support the child to engage in home learning, independent study and provide them with educational activities. This must be part of an established and consistent daily routine during school term time.

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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. Staff should record information about individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the rosters include the actual hours the manager is working in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 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

Dawn Walker, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 8 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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