Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1026083 1 SC456719 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 and offers care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. Their views were considered during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been vacant since 28 May 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1026083 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/04/2024 Full Inadequate 22/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1026083 3

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improvement to be good

The child is happy living at this home. She likes the staff and feels she can talk to them. She said, ‘It’s lush living here; I get princess treatment.’

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improvement to be good

Staff have established positive relationships with the child in a short period. The child feels comfortable spending time with staff. However, there have been many changes in the staff team. This was challenging for a child who has recently left the home. The child’s social worker believes that there were inconsistencies in staff care practice in relation to understanding and responding to the child’s needs.

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improvement to be good

A comprehensive placement plan is in place for the child. It is regularly reviewed and updated when required. It addresses all areas of the child’s life. However, some sections require additional detail to ensure that the plan fully reflects the child’s needs and how to meet them. This includes having a better understanding of the child’s culture and identity.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child in maintaining their health. A detailed health booklet covers the child’s physical and mental health needs. A healthy diet is promoted. The child is encouraged to participate in activities that involve exercise. However, she seldom chooses these. There is an action plan that guides staff in supporting the child’s health needs.

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improvement to be good

Children’s education is highly valued. Staff support the child in her learning and attendance. She has made steady progress in a college course and has plans for the next academic year. There is a thorough home education plan. This includes responses to actions from the child’s personal education plan.

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improvement to be good

Staff help the child to develop her independence skills in line with her age and plans. However, this is still a developing area of work. The responsible individual has identified improvements required to support the child.

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improvement to be good

A previous child’s time in the home was not successful. A lessons-learned exercise was carried out. This identified that the child came to live in the home quickly without all risks being fully understood. The child’s placement ended while the child was missing from care. Therefore, the child did not experience a positive end to their time at this home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1026083 4

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improvement to be good

The child’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans are clear and detailed. They guide staff in recognising risks to the child. They describe known warning signs and identify the control measures that staff should use.

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improvement to be good

Staff manage incidents without the use of physical intervention. Staff are trained in de- escalation techniques. Staff also receive training in positive handling methods for incidents that require physical intervention to ensure a child's safety.

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improvement to be good

Children have gone missing from this home. The response to this has varied. Senior staff have taken part in strategy meetings with other professionals. Protocols are in place, and local searches are carried out by staff. However, there have been gaps in the processes being followed. This includes a child’s protocol that does not state that staff are required to check the train station. There have also been significant delays in staff leaving to search for the child.

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improvement to be good

Children’s allegations against staff are taken seriously and responded to appropriately. This includes liaison with external safeguarding professionals when required. Procedures are followed to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

The manager has failed to ensure that maintenance issues are promptly addressed. However, improvements have now been made to the decor and safety of the home. The garden remains an unusable space for children. However, this has been identified, and work is booked to start soon.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There has been no registered manager in post for almost a year. Four different managers have taken over for short periods. On two occasions, the deputy manager has carried out the manager’s role on an interim basis. She is currently the interim manager, with another new manager joining shortly. No managers have applied to register as the manager for the home. This has resulted in a long period of instability in the management arrangements and has affected children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Many experienced staff left to work in a new home owned by the same company. As a result, the home experienced staff shortages. A new team has been established, and a comprehensive workforce development plan is implemented. This includes good induction, supervision and appraisal arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The responsible individual is very experienced and knowledgeable. She is aware of the home’s strengths. She has quickly identified areas for improvement in staff practice and home development. A thorough quality improvement plan has been created and is being monitored. This is to ensure that children are consistently provided with high-quality care and protection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1026083 5 The manager and responsible individual have improved monitoring of the home. A more detailed quality assurance audit is now in place. This audit takes place on a monthly basis, and identified actions are added to the quality improvement plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The supervision of staff has recently improved. All staff are now receiving regular supervision. This improvement came after there were gaps in supervision during periods of management changes. The responsible individual has also improved the supervision template to make it more focused and reflective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has not ensured that language in records is always helpful to the child. The wording of some reports appears to blame children in risky situations. Inspection report for children’s home: 1026083 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 registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is an organisation or a partnership (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the home not having a registered manager since May 2024. 15 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission;

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Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all known locations a child may visit are identified in the child’s risk assessment. When a child goes missing, staff must promptly respond and ensure that these locations are searched. 1 June 2025

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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;

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to a child’s placement ending while they were missing from the home. 1 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1026083 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have systems in place to supervise all staff, including those working in other homes. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information about individual children in a non- stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 1026083 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: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1026083 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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