Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Oldham

Inspection report for children's home: 2550622 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a large private company and provider. The home provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2550622 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2024 Full Good 05/12/2023 Full Good 19/07/2022 Full Good 15/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: 2550622 3

p.2

Inspection judgements

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

p.3

Inspection judgements

Three children are currently living at the home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved into semi-independence as arranged and planned by their individual placing authorities, and one child has moved into the home. Appropriate assessments have been undertaken to support all the children to share the home as well as making sure the home is able to meet the individual needs of the children.

p.3

Inspection judgements

Children have good relationships with staff and say they feel cared for and supported well. All the children say they feel safe and happy living at the home. Staff provide a nurturing and caring environment for the children to flourish in. Children say they feel consulted and have a real say in their individual care and support.

p.3

Inspection judgements

Staff recognise and understand the importance of education for children. They are proactive in liaising with education providers to support individual education plans. When children are preparing to leave education, staff help them to develop individual CVs as well as supporting them to access further education or employment opportunities.

p.3

Inspection judgements

Healthcare needs are met well, with staff supporting children to attend healthcare appointments when needed.

p.3

Inspection judgements

Children are encouraged to follow their own choices of activities based on their individual interests, for example music, football, swimming and using local leisure facilities. This means that when they move on to semi-independence, they can still pursue leisure activities that they enjoy.

p.3

Inspection judgements

Staff support children to maintain positive family relationships and spend time with their friends. Parents say staff make them feel very welcome when they visit the home. One parent said, ‘The staff are always welcoming, and the home feels like a family home. My child tells me the staff care and support him well, and he is happy there.’

p.3

Inspection judgements

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

p.3

Inspection judgements

Staff have a good overall understanding of safeguarding and their role and responsibility in relation to keeping children safe. Managers have developed good links with the local authority designated safeguarding lead, who has attended one of the home’s team meetings to provide information about safeguarding children and young people. In addition, the manager ensures that safeguarding discussions are a regular feature of team meetings and staff supervision to underpin staff knowledge and ongoing practice.

p.3

Inspection judgements

Children benefit from having clear routines, and boundaries are in place. This helps children to understand acceptable behaviours and provides them with safe and supportive care. Praise and rewards are used regularly to promote positive behaviour, and since the last inspection, no negative consequences have been implemented. Staff Inspection report for children's home: 2550622 4 have undertaken appropriate training in de-escalating negative behaviours; this further supports children to manage their behaviour and emotions.

p.3

Inspection judgements

Staff ensure that individual risk assessments are reflective of current risks for children, and there are clear strategies to minimise risk. Staff also ensure that individual time is spent with children to help them in relation to understanding and managing everyday risks to keep them safe.

p.4

Inspection judgements

There have been few incidents of children going missing from the home. When this occurs, staff are proactive in following agreed procedures to support the children’s safe return home. Children can speak with an independent person about the reason for them going missing. Any information provided, if it is in relation to something within the home, is relayed to the manager to enable him to address this, thereby reducing the risk of this occurring again.

p.4

Inspection judgements

Allegations and complaints are handled sensitively, and the person making the allegation or complaint is kept informed of the process and outcome.

p.4

Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

p.4

Inspection judgements

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. He has high aspirations for all children living at the home. This is reflected by the staff, who share his enthusiasm and vision for helping children to feel settled and achieve positive outcomes.

p.4

Inspection judgements

Since the last inspection, there have been several new staff recruited to ensure that there are enough staff to provide care for the children living at the home. The home currently has a vacancy for a deputy manager, which the organisation is currently recruiting to fill. If additional staffing is required to cover sickness or absence, the manager uses the organisation’s bank staff. This promotes the continuity of care for children.

p.4

Inspection judgements

Staff access regular supervision that enables them to reflect on their practice and provides them with ongoing support and development. Staff say they value supervision, as this helps them to continually improve their practice. Regular team meetings are held each month, which further underpin the staff’s knowledge, skills and daily practice.

p.4

Inspection judgements

Professionals speak highly of the multi-disciplinary approach of the home and the wraparound care and support the staff provide. This supports the children to make progress in line with their individual care plans.

p.4

Inspection judgements

The manager has addressed the two requirements and one recommendation made at the last inspection. These were in relation to keeping children informed of the progress of any allegation or complaint made and ensuring the home is maintained and decorated appropriately. Inspection report for children's home: 2550622 5 The manager has good monitoring systems in place to continually assess the practice in the home. When there has been a serious or significant incident, in most cases, the manager has informed the relevant agencies. However, the regulator was not notified of one incident. Despite the incident being addressed appropriately, this prevented the regulator from having full oversight of the incident and outcome as required by regulation. Inspection report for children's home: 2550622 6

p.4

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 1 July 2025

p.6

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: 2550622 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2550622 8 regulates and inspects 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8