Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Herefordshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC457068 1 SC457068 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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This monitoring visit

On 17 March 2025, an assurance inspection identified serious and widespread concerns relating to the care and protection of children. A suspension notice was served on 18 March 2025, and a compliance notice was issued on 21 March 2025 under regulation 12 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to monitor the provider’s progress in addressing the steps set out in the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Action has been taken to ensure that staff working with children are suitable. An audit of the recruitment of all current staff has been undertaken. The registered manager has completed safer recruitment training to help them make safer recruitment decisions that protect children. In addition, leaders and managers have implemented a monthly meeting with the provider’s onboarding and recruitment team to help provide further oversight and scrutiny.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have devised a programme of training for staff to address the safeguarding shortfalls identified. Some of this has been completed, including training for staff in relation to trauma. However, other identified training to help increase staff’s knowledge and understanding of safeguarding has not yet been completed.

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This monitoring visit

Although some progress has been made in meeting the steps in the notice in respect of the protection of children, the provider has not met them all. The remaining shortfall in this respect remains subject to a revised compliance notice and the suspension of the home’s registration remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

The recommendations from the inspection in May 2024 remain in place and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC457068 2

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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 with 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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers need to ensure that staff understand their responsibilities relating to the safeguarding of children, and work in line with relevant policies, procedures and children’s plans. The registered person needs to ensure that all incident records are timely and accurate and that there is 2 June 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC457068 3 sufficient informed oversight to identify shortfalls in staff practice.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 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. Information should be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child and take into account any relevant plans. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the review of the premises includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home's location and strategies for managing these. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC457068 4

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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

Kate Savage, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC457068 5 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 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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