Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 1 SC456798 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in February 2013, the manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/12/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good 18/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child’s education is a key focus for staff. The child had not been attending school prior to moving into their home. They are now attending education, which includes equine and dog therapy full time. This means that the child is making significant progress in education from their starting points. Staff identify and support the child’s individual education needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child’s existing and emerging health needs are being met to a very high standard. This includes being an advocate for the child to be reassessed and change their medication and a review of their diagnosis. This has led to a significant change in the child’s behavioural support needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager ensures that practice is informed by research. This ensures that the service is evolving in line with emerging theoretical approaches and best practice. This includes developing ‘Thera-play’ support for the child. This has ensured that the child has made exceptional progress from their starting point in regard to their attachment support needs. The registered manager has ensured that all staff have been offered therapeutic support to understand their own attachment styles. This has led to a staff team whose members know the child extremely well.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Therapeutic support is embedded in the home. Staff promote therapy through the child’s two dolls. These are used to exceptionally good effect and help the child to understand her own behaviour and needs. Staff take it in turns to take the dolls on ‘holiday’, and this has given the child a real sense of agency and inclusion. The child has enjoyed creating life-story books for her dolls in line with her own.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child lives in a home that is safe and child focused. The child has photos proudly displayed on the walls, which makes the environment feel welcoming and homely. The child’s home reflects their individual likes and interests. The staff have created a therapeutic environment where the child feels settled and supported. This includes craft areas, therapy areas, a wall of staff palm prints. The child takes great pride in their home and says that she loves living here.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Multi-agency work is a key priority for the manager and staff. They work tirelessly to ensure that the child receives support based on their cognitive needs. In one incident the child was arrested for assaulting a police officer. The manager ensured that the consequence was child focused and appropriate. This involved the child apologising and baking cakes for the police officer involved. The manager has also ensured that the PCSO and local police officer has a good relationship with the home. This has dramatically changed the child’s perception of the police to a positive one. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 4

p.3

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

Physical interventions have not been used since the last inspection. Staff are encouraged to use all available distraction or de-escalation techniques to prevent the need for physical intervention. This is a significant change in the support needs for the child. The manager has evaluated key triggers in behaviour and has overhauled the staff working pattern to ensure that the child’s attachment needs are catered for. This has led to a significant improvement in the child’s well-being.

p.4

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

Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are reviewed regularly and the child’s progress is tracked each month. The plans themselves are clear and concise and written to the child. The child is supported to take some manageable risks, such as walking to the local shops or developing free time in the local town centre. This is significant progress for the child, who previously struggled to access much of the community.

p.4

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

The child is supported to understand their own behaviours in a reflective and safe way. Staff know the needs of the child extremely well, and there is a seamless link from risk assessments to support plans. If the child’s needs change, support plans are reviewed and updated in collaboration with the placing authority. The registered manager has identified new staffing rotas, which has enabled the child to cope with their attachment needs. This has greatly improved the child’s well-being as they are more settled.

p.4

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

The child has a strong sense of safety in the home. They have built strong and stable relationships, and as a result, they do not go missing from home. When the child needs time away from staff, they are supported to do so in a safe and appropriate way. The child now recognises their own changes in behavioural needs and will respond appropriately. Despite there being no missing-from-home incidents, the missing-from- home protocols are comprehensive, regularly reviewed and child focused.

p.4

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

Staff prioritise the time the child spends with their family members or those close to them. Significant efforts are also made to ensure that the child is developing friendships and spending time with peers. This has helped the child maintain meaningful connections with their family. The child’s mother talked positively about the staff who support family time. They said, ‘We could not ask for better staff. We have no complaints, and we know they keep them safe.’

p.4

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

The staff have completed relevant training and have built significant relationships with the child, so the child is able to share their wishes and feelings. This has helped the child to develop their confidence and raise their self-esteem.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are inspirational and lead by example. Team morale is excellent, and staff say that they feel a sense of shared ownership of the care provided, which helps to drive improvement. Leaders and managers are held in exceptionally high regard by staff, the child, family members and external professionals. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 5 The staff team is stable, and there is a high number of qualified staff in the home. Those who do not have the relevant qualification are completing this. Staff work collaboratively together and feel well supported by managers and each other. However, one member of staff is out of timescales for their qualification. This is largely due to additional support being put in place for them, which has been helpful and appropriate in this case. This has not impacted on the needs of the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that all paperwork is up to date and received in good time. Direct work records are of high quality, are written to the child and use language that is trauma informed. These principles are embedded in the home. This ensures that any work completed is realistic, achievable and contributes to the child’s future development.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and high-quality supervision, which they say helps them to reflect on their role in the home. However, appraisals are not held individually, and this limits the staff in considering their own next steps in their role. This has not had an impact on the child.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff ensure that the child shares their feelings and wishes in a multitude of ways. However, the independent visitor does not always gain feedback from the child, due to the times that visits are conducted. This means the child does not always have access to an independent person to share their views with. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 6

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff have individual appraisals once per year. 28 February 2025

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have the relevant qualifications by the relevant date as per regulation 32. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 10.5)  The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

p.6

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: SC456798 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspectors

James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Jon Dutton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456798 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.

p.7

Inspectors

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 . 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.8

Inspectors

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

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8