Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 1 SC456850 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home and they spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022.

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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

Date of last inspection: 22 January 2025

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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: SC456850 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/03/2024 Full Good 20/03/2023 Full Good 15/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The planning for the child moving into the home has improved because of the manager’s learning and reflection after previous events. The manager has developed a more robust procedure to ensure that the needs of the child are identified and that staff have the necessary skills to meet these needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child moved into the home in a planned way, with the manager speaking to the child and parents about the home and the expectations before the move. This helped to reduce the child’s anxieties. As a result, they are settled and their needs are being met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is starting to develop trusting relationships with staff. Staff are nurturing, child centred and dedicated and they have a good understanding of the child’s needs and vulnerabilities. One parent said, ‘I could not ask for a better home; staff are supportive, caring and they keep me informed.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is in good health. Staff have a good understanding of the child’s health needs and past trauma. They work with other health professionals and educate the child on health-related issues. This means that the child is getting the appropriate support to make positive choices about their health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child had missed a lot of education before moving into the home. The manager has ensured that the child is now accessing a tutor for two hours each day to help the child prepare for their GCSEs. However, the manager has not ensured that the child has a clear structure to the day and opportunities to complete both formal and informal learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to access a range of activities out in the community. These include visits to the gym, local spa, playing snooker and swimming. Staff also support the child to develop independence skills through cooking, doing their laundry and shopping. The child regularly attends a part-time job at a local shop. This is helping the child to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to have positive family time with people who are important to them. Even though the child lives a distance from their parents, they have daily phone calls. In addition, parents are given the opportunity to visit the child in the home. The staff complete a weekly overview of the child’s achievements and these are shared with parents. This ensures that parents feel involved in the child’s daily life.

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

The child’s safety and welfare are at the heart of staff practice. Staff have a good understanding of the child’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Staff are supported to manage the child’s risks by following clear and detailed risk assessment plans, which are regularly Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 4 reviewed. As a result, the child said that they feel safe in the home and when out in the community.

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

The child knows how to make a complaint and has followed the complaints procedure to raise an issue. The manager quickly responded to this and ensured that the child was kept informed throughout the process. The child said that staff listen to them and they can express their wishes and feelings freely.

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

Positive behaviour from the child is promoted by staff. There are clear incentives and rewards in place that are meaningful and relevant to the child. When a consequence for behaviour was used, it was fair and proportionate. There are clear house rules and boundaries in place, which means that the child understands what is expected of them and they feel safe and secure.

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

Staff provide consistent advice, guidance and support to the child to understand the choices that they make which put them at risk. Through this support, the child is making safer choices. This has meant that there has been a clear reduction in the risk to the child since he moved in. There have been no missing-from-home incidents.

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

The child is supported to take age-appropriate risk as part of them developing their independence. The child is now having more time in the local community, where they can spend time doing activities such as attending the gym.

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

The manager ensures that all health and safety checks are completed. Parts of the home have recently been repainted, which has created a warm and welcoming environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced, dedicated and caring. He is currently working towards his qualification in leadership and management. He also has management responsibility for another home operated by the company. He is supported in his role by an experienced deputy. They have a good working relationship and shared management responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has a strong focus on the care provided to the child. They have good systems in place to ensure that they have clear oversight of the day-to-day practice. The manager has completed a comprehensive review of the quality of care, which includes feedback from others, the strengths of the care provided and areas of improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is now a stable staff team in place, who share the same aspirations and provide consistency for the child. Staff said that they enjoyed working at the home and there is a strong ethos of teamwork. However, the manager has not ensured that the rota contains the times and hours that he will be working at the home. This does not give clear information to staff on the availability and support of the manager during the week. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 5 Staff receive regular supervision sessions and appraisals in the appropriate timescales. This gives the staff an opportunity to reflect on their practice and identify any further training needs. The deputy manager and team leaders who have supervision responsibilities have completed the appropriate training, and this opportunity is developing their leadership skills. Staff said that they feel supported by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a comprehensive staff training programme in place. This starts from induction and continues with staff having ongoing training. All staff have completed the company’s mandatory training. However, the manager has not ensured that all staff have completed specific training around harmful sexualised behaviour. This does not ensure that staff have the all the necessary skills and knowledge to support the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and give staff an opportunity to discuss current issues and share good practice. This ensures that there is consistency in meeting the child’s needs daily.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates for the child in all aspects of their life, including their education and future plans. The manager also ensures that the child has access to an independent advocate so they can share the child’s views on their future in meetings. The manager has built up positive relationships with other professionals, and escalates concerns if he feels that other professionals are not meeting the child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 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 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

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff have received training on harmful sexualised behaviour, so that they have the required knowledge and skills to meet the child’s needs. 21 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 21 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 7 support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8(1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that when a child is not in education, there is clear structure and routine in place for the whole school day to support both formal and informal learning opportunities.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the rota contains the manager’s actual hours worked each week at the home, so staff know when support is available. 21 July 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: SC456850 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

Simon Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456850 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 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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