Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2618541 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection 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 of children’s homes. It offers care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since February 2021.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2618541 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/02/2023 Full Good 12/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2618541 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, no children have moved into or out of the home. However, during this inspection, one child moved to their new home in supported accommodation. The child said, ‘This has been my favourite house. This will be my first planned move. Staff are very supportive and always have open arms.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in relation to their starting points and benefit from warm relationships with staff. Staff provide children with continuity of care, so they have consistency and stability in their lives. Children benefit from well-planned care that promotes their needs effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work in partnership with social workers, schools and other professionals to meet children’s specific needs. A social worker said, ‘My experience of working with the staff has always been very positive. They are efficient and take part in all multi-agency meetings.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children receive support to spend time with their friends and families. As a result, they sustain their familiar and close relationships with the people who are most important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the children’s good health and ensure that their medication is stored and administered safely. Staff encourage the children’s attendance at health appointments and support their health. Staff provide children with a healthy, supportive, caring and nurturing environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the children’s education and encourage their regular school attendance. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘The manager and staff are supportive of the child’s education, and the child’s relationships with staff are incredibly positive.’

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

Staff provide children with effective guidance, help and support. They have regular conversations with children about their needs, behaviours and feelings. As a result, children benefit from helpful advice from staff and feel supported and listened to. A child said, ‘I’ve not struggled with my mental health as much, and I have reduced my missings. Staff have helped me separate myself from a manipulative relationship.’

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

Staff prioritise children’s safety and well-being. They have a thorough understanding of their needs and vulnerabilities. Staff follow clear risk management plans to keep children safe from harm. Risks associated with children are recorded clearly, and documented risks are understood by staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2618541 4 Staff recognise the importance of working together with other professional agencies to keep children safe from harm. When children go missing from the home, there is an effective response from staff, who actively look for children and work in partnership with the police to promote their safe return. The frequency of missing-from-home episodes has reduced in relation to children’s starting points.

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

Staff manage children’s behaviours safely. They act quickly, and they use de-escalation strategies effectively to defuse unwanted behaviours. There have been no restraints since the last inspection. Additionally, there have been no allegations or complaints from children.

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

Health and safety matters are addressed effectively by staff. Staff ensure that children benefit from a physically safe, comfortable and homely living environment. A child said, ‘The staff are well nice. I like it enough to stay here.’

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

Safer recruitment practices are stringently followed and adhered to. Staff employed to care for children are recruited and vetted carefully. This ensures that children are protected from unsuitable people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from a qualified and experienced registered manager who demonstrates effective leadership of the operations of the home. A stable staff team has been recruited to provide consistency and stability in children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff work effectively as a team to meet children’s specific needs. The manager ensures that staff benefit from regular team meetings and practice- related supervision sessions. As a result, there are regular opportunities for staff to reflect on their performance and review children’s progress and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager identifies staff’s training needs effectively to ensure that they are trained to meet children’s needs. Staff have recently received training on substance misuse and therapeutic parenting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff form effective working relationships with external professionals to ensure that children’s safety and needs are promoted effectively. However, the manager has not sufficiently escalated the absence of a care leavers pathway plan to ensure that there is a clear plan in place from the placing authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent person regularly visits the home to review the quality of the children’s care. These visits provide the manager with an impartial view about the strengths and weaknesses of the staff’s practices. The manager acts on the recommendations to address shortfalls and improve the care provided for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2618541 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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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 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that eligible care leavers have a pathway plan in place, outlining their needs and entitlements and the responsibilities of the placing authority. 23 June 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: 2618541 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Anthony Kyem, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2618541 7 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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Inspector

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