Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Wigan

Inspection report for children’s home: 2621119 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Full inspection 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 provider. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in December 2024. A newly appointed manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 20 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2621119 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2024 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good 21/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2621119 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and two children have moved out of the home. One child experienced stability and lived in the home for several years. The child had a positive experience and made progress in all areas of their life. The child had a positive move from the home to live with a family member. One child experienced a short length of time living in the home due to staff not being able to meet their needs. A child has recently moved into the home following a planned and robust transition plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager’s initial assessment, planning and consideration of each child’s needs is detailed. The manager ensures that they have the necessary information to fully consider whether staff can meet the child’s needs. Staff receive additional training, in line with the child’s needs, before the child moves into the home. However, there was a lack of robust assessment of the risks posed by the location of the home when one child moved in. This could have put the child at further risk of harm. Leaders and managers have reflected and learned from this shortfall and have since ensured that the location of the home is a key consideration in future care planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have variable educational experiences while living in the home. One child made positive progress and engaged in education. Staff supported the child to make progress towards achieving his future aspiration to go to university. The child secured work placements to gain relevant experience and develop his skills. However, staff were unable to support one child to engage in education while living in the home. This affected the child’s educational progress and prospects. The child who recently moved into the home is accessing educational support via a mentor. The manager and social worker are arranging for the child to access tutoring while an appropriate educational provision is identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support and encourage each child to develop age-appropriate independence skills, such as cooking and cleaning. Children are offered opportunities to engage in a range of activities. One child enjoyed a holiday to Greece with staff. The child living in the home has recently enjoyed visiting the local arcades and go-karting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm and nurturing environment. Staff are committed to the children in their care. Staff are implementing appropriate rules, routines and boundaries for the child who recently moved into the home. This has led to some incidents which staff were prepared for. The staff are getting to know the child and are building positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to share their wishes and feelings with managers and staff. Staff carry out direct work with children and support their understanding of how to keep safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2621119 4 The home is part of a service which provides a holistic approach to children’s care. The service offers clinical support and provides the child with a mentor and educational support. This helps to ensure that children have timely access to therapeutic support that promotes their emotional well-being and resilience.

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

Staff have received safeguarding training and understand their roles and responsibilities. They understand the whistle-blowing procedures. Staff know how to keep the child safe and what action to take as detailed in the child’s plans.

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

Allegations are managed effectively, and the manager shares information with the local authority designated officer as required. Since the last inspection, there has been one allegation, which has been managed appropriately.

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

Safer recruitment is effective to ensure that only suitable people work in the home.

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

Incidents of holding a child are rare. There have been two recent incidents, which have been necessary to keep the child and staff safe. Incidents are clearly recorded, and the child and staff have been spoken to following the measure. Consequences are rarely used and there is a focus on positive rewards and restorative work.

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

There have been several incidents of one child being missing from the home. Records are clear in relation to the action taken by staff. There is evidence of the child having independent return home interviews but not after each incident. The manager has escalated this issue with the placing authority.

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

Risk management plans are detailed and provide strategies for staff to follow. However, for one child, the strategies were not effective to keep the child safe from harm. The child was at risk of child sexual exploitation. The child’s risks increased when they were given a mobile phone from a family member. This led to an escalation in serious incidents. Leaders and managers worked with a range of professionals to ensure that there was a multi-agency approach to keep the child safe. Professional discussions could not agree removal of the mobile phone. Due to the increase in risks posed to the child, the manager took appropriate action and notified the placing authority that they did not feel able to keep the child safe.

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

Leaders and managers ensure that written documents and records are reviewed. Written plans are updated following incidents. However, some records do not contain accurate information. There was a recent incident involving a child and self-injurious behaviour. The record did not accurately reflect the incident, which prevents effective review of the child’s needs and risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager left her post in December 2024. A new manager has been appointed, who is caring and committed to the child in her care. She has applied to Inspection report for children’s home: 2621119 5 register with Ofsted. The responsible individual is experienced and has regular oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported in their role and speak positively of each other and of managers. Staff are positive and motivated, and morale is high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to developing the team of staff and ensuring that they have regular opportunities for training and personal development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have received training, including training in line with the child’s needs. Staff can identify the child’s specific needs and demonstrate knowledge of how to meet these. Staff are confident in their practice. Some staff have experience working in residential care and some staff are new to the role. Some staff are enrolled on the appropriate qualification. However, no care staff working in the home are currently qualified. The manager is currently recruiting more experienced, senior staff to support the staff team. The manager has been developing staff practice through regular team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision where they have opportunities to reflect on their practice. Supervision sessions provide staff with an opportunity to discuss the child’s needs. When leaders and managers identify issues or shortfalls with staff practice, they use supervision time to develop staff’s skills and knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and responsible individual use effective internal and external monitoring systems to ensure that they have oversight of the home. The manager understands the home’s strengths and weaknesses and has clear actions in place on how she wishes to develop the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are reflective. They learn from incidents and reflect when things have not gone as planned. Leaders and managers continually consider ways to improve the quality of care being provided in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2621119 6

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all known risks to a child are identified. Robust and effective strategies for staff to follow must be in place to ensure that the child is safe from harm.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, leaders and managers must ensure that all known risks in relation to the location of the home are fully considered before a child moves into the home. Robust strategies must be identified to ensure that identified risks are managed effectively to keep the child safe from harm. 28 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— 28 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2621119 7 include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children’s records are detailed and accurate and contain all the necessary information.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child and support the child to achieve their potential. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)

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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: 2621119 8

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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

Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2621119 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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