Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Full inspection 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 national provider of children’s homes. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 25 and 26 May 2023. Inspectors identified serious shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 2 Following the inspection, three compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act. Compliance notices were issued under Regulation 12, the protection of children standard, Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and Regulation 35, the behaviour management policies and records standard.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place on 19 June 2023, which found that the provider had not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The provider took the decision to close the home, and a three-month condition was imposed, requiring the provider to inform Ofsted three months before it intends to admit a child to the home.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A further monitoring visit took place on 12 June 2024, which found that the provider had taken sufficient action for the three-month condition to be lifted. Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/05/2023 Full Inadequate 28/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2021 Full Inadequate 19/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child living in the home has not received a consistent level of care from the staff team. The actions of some staff towards the child have led to incidents of challenging behaviour. There has been an increase in incidents due to ineffective leadership and management and poor staff practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child says that they like living in the home and that staff care about them. Positive relationships have developed between some of the staff team and the child. However, not all staff consistently support the child with a warm and empathetic approach. The child talked to inspectors about arguing with staff. This impacts on the child’s emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff try to help the child to access educational activities. Plans are in place for the child to return to formal schooling. The manager has identified and advocated for a provision that is best suited to meet the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Managers and staff do not take action to ensure that all the child’s health needs are met. As a result, the child has not been able to receive medication for a diagnosed health need. Staff ensure that the child has access to mental health services. The provider’s clinical director supports the child to engage with health assessments. This led to a diagnosis for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff responses to issues raised by the child are poor. For example, when the child raises concerns about their sleeping patterns, staff do not take any action to talk to the child about this. This means that staff do not identify the necessary support for the child. Therefore, the child continues to struggle with sleep and regularly becomes unsettled at bedtime.

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

Poor safeguarding and caring practices have had a significant negative impact on the child. This has led to an escalation in incidents. Some staff responses to the child at times of distress are punitive. On one occasion, a member of staff told the child that time with their family would be stopped due to their behaviour.

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

The risks in the home environment regarding self-injurious behaviours are not fully understood by staff. The response to this risk is poor and inconsistent. Managers and staff do not learn from incidents. This has led to further serious safeguarding incidents.

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

Staff do not implement strategies to ensure that the home environment is safe in line with the child’s discharge plans following admissions to hospital. For example, managers and staff do not address specific actions to reduce the risk of harm in the environment. This leaves the child vulnerable to further incidents occurring. Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 5 Risk assessments are not up to date and do not identify all known risks for the child. Triggers and warning signs are not included to help staff reduce risk in practice. Clear strategies are outlined in risk assessments, but these are not always followed by staff. This has led to unsafe and inconsistent practice.

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

Staff do not identify and understand risks in relation to child sexual exploitation and risks associated with the internet and social media. There are missed opportunities to implement strategies to safeguard the child and help the child to stay safe. Some staff have completed work with the child, although this is not meaningful or effective.

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

When the child goes missing from home, staff search for them and involve relevant safeguarding professionals. However, staff do not have a clear plan to follow in respect of safe staffing levels to manage these incidents. This has led to occasions when the child has returned to an empty house or occasions when staff have not been out to look for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management and leadership arrangements are poor and ineffective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is an experienced and qualified manager in post. The manager knows the child well and attempts to help and support the child. However, she does not identify shortfalls in staff practice to improve the quality of care staff provide for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not take sufficient action when concerns are reported in respect of poor staff practice. Leaders and managers do not evaluate staff practice to identify shortfalls and to ensure practice is safe and caring for the child. This means that lessons are not learned to improve practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

When the manager is absent, leaders do not ensure that there is sufficient management oversight of the staff team. Therefore, staff do not have consistent support. Practice has been reactive, rather than proactive. As a result, there has been an increase in safeguarding incidents for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Professionals involved with the child are positive about the manager. They say that the manager keeps them regularly updated. The child’s social worker is aware of all safeguarding incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff say that they feel supported by the manager and deputy manager. They benefit from regular supervision. However, staff say that they have not felt comfortable to question practice in the home. This means that poor staff practice has gone unchallenged.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The child is cared for by a new and inexperienced staff team. Leaders and managers do not provide staff with the level of support and guidance that they need to develop in their roles. Not all staff receive training that is specific to the child’s needs. This means Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 6 that staff are not provided with opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills to care for the child safely and effectively. Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 7

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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 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

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

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the leaders and managers must ensure that there are plans in place to safeguard the child against all known risks and that staff follow the child’s plans, responding appropriately to the child’s emotional and behavioural needs. 23 February 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 8 *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

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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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; and

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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)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that there is sufficient management oversight of staff practice and that any concerns regarding staff practice are identified and addressed. Additionally, leaders and managers should ensure that staff are suitably trained to meet the needs of the child. 23 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that staff— 20 March 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 9 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff understand and respond appropriately to the child’s emotional and behavioural needs.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any concerns in relation to the child’s health needs are effectively 20 March 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 10 communicated and addressed with the relevant professionals, escalating concerns where necessary.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2542813 11

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Beverley Williams

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Inspectors

Hayley Smith, Social Care Inspector Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2542813 12 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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