Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1225136 1 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

This home is owned by a large national provider. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024.

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Inspection date: 19 February 2025

Date of last inspection: 4 December 2024

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Inspection date: 19 February 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 19 February 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: 1225136 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 children present at the time of the last inspection remain living in the home. There has been some progress in children forming positive relationships with each other and with staff. Incidents have been better managed and de-escalated by staff, which has supported children to manage their emotions.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children’s health and well-being. One child has had a persistent condition that had been undiagnosed despite several general practitioner (GP) appointments. Staff have been tenacious in seeking medical advice and this has now led to a diagnosis and correct treatment being given. Referrals are made to specialist services when required, such as drug and alcohol services. Staff are now ensuring that they seek medical advice after any incidents of substance misuse.

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Findings from the inspection

The children are all in alternative education provisions. However, their attendance is variable. Staff and leaders work with education professionals to identify barriers to children attending education provisions and overcome these when they arise. However, while efforts have been made to ensure that there is more of a daily structure in the home, routines and boundaries are not always enforced.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported to spend time with those who are important to them. Staff and the manager have formed good working relationships with family members. The manager ensures that family time plans are child focused and in the child’s best interests. There are comprehensive risk management plans in place that support staff to keep children safe and provide direction when children are spending time with family.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a recent increase in missing-from-home episodes for one child. When this occurs, staff follow established missing-from-home protocols. Staff actively search for the child and ensure that they are collected when they are ready to return. The manager works with the child’s social worker to identify the reasons for the child going missing from home and formulate a plan to attempt to prevent further episodes.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is a welcoming and safe environment. Children have been able to personalise their bedrooms by choosing decoration and furnishings. There is a plan for further decoration and improvement of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

A new interim manager has recently been appointed who is supporting the team. The interim manager is committed and has a clear vision for the service and improvements that they wish to make. They are an experienced manager. However, they have not yet had the opportunity to fully embed monitoring systems. This means that they do not yet have full oversight of the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1225136 3 There is a small core staff team that is growing in confidence and ability. However, there are still several different staff members being used from other homes to support staffing arrangements. This means that children are not always cared for by a consistent staff team. The interim manager has recruited new members of staff and they will complete an induction before starting to work with the children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have access to training and this is delivered in a variety of creative ways to improve staff practice. For instance, during a recent team meeting staff had the opportunity to practise checking rooms for harmful items. When staff practice has been below expected standards, this has been addressed through supervision sessions and discussions. Robust protocols are followed when there are allegations about staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Some of the requirements raised at the last inspection have been met. However, some remain as there has not been the opportunity to fully meet these during this period. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1225136 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/12/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/07/2021 Full Good 02/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/05/2018 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1225136 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when accepting new children into the home, there is a robust staff team that can meet their needs.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 19 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

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 promotes their welfare.

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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. 19 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1225136 6 (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is a consistent team of staff who are suitably skilled and experienced to care for the children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person should ensure that they have sufficient oversight of significant events and that any incident records are evaluated fully. Learning from these incidents should be taken into consideration when making improvements to the care afforded to children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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 socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; 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)(ii)(v)(viii)(b)) 19 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1225136 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that positive routines and boundaries are in place in the home for children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1225136 8

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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

Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1225136 9 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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Inspector

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