Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in County Durham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC059180 1 SC059180 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 owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to five children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children and one young person were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC059180 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2024 Full Outstanding 21/03/2023 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC059180 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make exceptional progress from their starting points. All children, no matter how long they have lived at the home, have made progress with their health, social and emotional needs. One education professional said, ‘[Name of child]’s progress has been huge.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is a warm and welcoming environment. Rooms have recently been redecorated, and bedrooms are personalised for each child. Communal spaces have been reorganised so children can relax and play. The kitchen is the heart of the home and provides a real sense of a family gathering.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff go the extra mile to communicate with and understand children. Staff have skills to communicate with children who need extra support to express themselves. Various communication aids are available throughout the home. This includes pictorial and audio formats for children and staff to engage each other. The staff’s creative approach to engaging children ensures that those who are nonverbal can express themselves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child’s admission into the home was extremely well planned. Staff met with professionals involved with the child to better understand the child’s needs. In addition, staff spent time with the child before they moved into the home to begin building relationships. Staff develop a bespoke children’s guide, so children have all the information they need about the home and staff before their move. These efforts help the children settle in the home with ease.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children build strong and trusting relationships with staff. Children excitedly return to the home from school and receive warm and loving responses from staff. In addition, staff speak about children with real affection and understanding. These relationships support children in all aspects of their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have an exceptional understanding of children’s health needs. Children benefit from staff observations and understanding about how they can be affected by illness or pain. The staff are proactive in accessing the support and intervention children need. For one child, their quality of life has improved due to a collective intervention by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children have an education placement, and their attendance is excellent. Staff work with education professionals to support learning from school in the home. This helps children to reach agreed targets, no matter how big or small. Children’s achievements are celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children take part in a wealth of activities inside and outside the home. This provides children with new experiences. Activities are well planned and supported to ensure that children have a positive experience. One young person has been supported to enjoy a holiday of their choice with staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059180 4

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

Children are better protected because staff understand their individual risks and vulnerabilities. Children’s plans are updated and reviewed when needed. The plans provide the children with information about how staff will try to manage and reduce risks and what actions they will take. Plans are accessible to children in formats that help them understand how they will be helped and supported by staff.

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

Children receive a high level of supervision, which ensures that they have the right level of support to keep them safer in the home and community. External doors have fob activations to ensure that staff can support children when they wish to go outside. Two children have legal orders in place so staff can provide these restrictions and high levels of supervision to keep them safer.

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

Staff are highly skilled in de-escalating situations. They are attuned to each child’s needs. As a result, the use of physical restraint is rare. When staff physically intervene to support a child, they do so at a low level in line with their safety plans. Staff speak to children about what has happened, and they reflect and learn from any incidents to enable better responses.

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

Children’s positive behaviours are recognised and rewarded. There is a strong ethos in the home that children learn and develop through their positive behaviours. Therefore, children do not experience any negative consequences.

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

Medication storage and administration are handled safely. Regular audits are carried out, which capture any near misses. Although there was one medication error, it had no effect on the child and provided valuable learning opportunities.

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

The safe recruitment of adults to work at the home is embedded. This prevents unsuitable people from being employed to work with the children who live in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers care about the children and are invested in providing them with the best possible care. They are creative in how they support children and lead by example. One staff member said, ‘Thanks to [name of manager], this isn’t a service; it’s a home full of so much love and laughter.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for children. She challenges professionals and services to ensure that children receive the support they need. One parent said that the manager has fought tirelessly for her child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring systems identify areas of progress for the children. This includes children’s behaviours, basic care and health needs, and language and communication. This means that the manager can identify actions to help support children based on their changing needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059180 5 The manager has good oversight of children’s care. is attributed to the manager's presence in the home, making them visible to children and staff. The manager oversees staff practice to ensure that it is safe and proportionate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. This focuses on children and provides an opportunity for staff and the manager to reflect on their practice. The manager holds staff accountable when their practice is not at the level she expects. The manager supports staff's learning and development to enhance their work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff receive necessary training. Staff also have access to a wider programme of training to enhance their skills. This enables staff to better understand and respond to children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers did not challenge a situation when a child, now a young adult, had restrictions in place without a legal framework. Although social workers assessed it was necessary for an application to be made to court, this did not take place and was not challenged or escalated for the child. Leaders and managers accept this was an oversight and shortfall in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Not all children’s essential records from their placing authority are up to date. One child’s pathway plan is out of date and does not reflect their current plan. Another child’s plan does not relate to the children living in the home. The manager’s scrutiny of these documents and escalation have not ensured that staff have access to up-to-date plans for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059180 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (1)(a)(c)) 30 April 2025

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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: SC059180 7

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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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Lindsay Metcalfe-Shaw

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Inspector

Joanne Wallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC059180 8 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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