Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 1 SC456535 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

This home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 3 April 2024.

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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: SC456535 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/08/2023 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Good 22/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been living in the home for almost a year. The child was spoken to during the inspection and their bedroom was seen. The child’s bedroom is personalised, clean and tidy. New furniture arrived for the child during the inspection, which staff were in the process of assembling.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment has been improved since the last inspection. The communal spaces have been refreshed with paint and wall art. The conservatory now contains gym equipment and is used by the child as a space where they can focus on their health and fitness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spoke fondly about the child, recognising their achievements, which they have saved in a memory book. This shows the child having fun and taking part in a variety of activities, such as baking, trampolining, playing football, gaming activity centres and days out to the seaside. This provides the child with opportunities to learn new skills and develop new hobbies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to express their views and explore their wishes and feelings through regular conversations and discussions. This helps the child feel valued and has increased the child’s confidence and overall engagement with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and support the child to attend routine health appointments. The child is registered with local services and has recently been to the dentist and GP. The child is encouraged to choose and eat healthy foods and stay active.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate for the child’s education. The manager has worked alongside various education professionals from the child’s placing authority to secure an appropriate education provision for the child. Since the child has been attending school, they have had the opportunity to meet and socialise with other children as well as engaging in a structured daily routine. When the child refuses to attend school, the staff are proactive in encouraging the child to participate in an education activity at home.

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

When children are new to the home, the manager takes a proactive approach to fully assessing their needs before the child moves in. All relevant information relating to the child’s history as well as their current needs are considered to ensure that the staff team has the appropriate skills to care for the child effectively.

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

The child’s individual risks are detailed in their risk management plans. These documents are reviewed regularly and updated accordingly and also provide staff with clear guidance and strategies to respond to the child in a consistent way. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 4 The staff team takes a proactive approach to helping the child to manage big feelings. Consequently, the child is more receptive to talking to staff about their frustrations so that staff can find an appropriate solution. When staff have imposed consequences, they have been proportionate and contain management oversight, which, when required, is followed up in team meetings or individual supervision.

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

When a child has been verbally abusive towards staff and used racist and derogatory language, this is challenged appropriately. However, there is a missed opportunity to conduct educational work with the child regarding the legal implications of using such language and the direct impact this can have on others.

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

There is a team around the child approach to safeguarding concerns that have arisen when the child has been online. The manager and the staff team have worked alongside agencies such as the police, the child’s placing authority and other safeguarding professionals to ensure effective safety planning for the child.

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

The child’s independence is encouraged in line with their individual needs. Staff have recently supported the child to increase free time in the community and at a pace the child is comfortable with. The location risk assessment has recently been reviewed to include local risks and information relevant to the local community. However, staff have not signed the document.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear vision for the service. He has developed new systems which provide the staff team with more effective recording systems. This enables the staff to have clear processes to ensure that work is not duplicated and means that the staff can spend quality time with the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal monitoring systems enable the manager and deputy manager to have effective oversight of the quality of care provided to the child. These systems have allowed the manager to highlight areas which require further improvement, such as recording, and where necessary additional training is identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for the child and escalates concerns on their behalf to ensure that they are receiving fair access to services and that actions identified in their care plan are being fulfilled by the professionals involved in the child’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings have improved in quality. There is a clear set agenda which staff contribute to. The manager is proactive in raising practice issues during these meetings while also celebrating and recognising positive staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff say that the manager is available and supportive. They feel heard and listened to. Supervision is taking place regularly for permanent staff and supervision sessions have an effective balance between professional development and reflective practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 5 A requirement has been raised, however, in relation to the frequency of supervision for regular bank staff who work at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 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 person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (8))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, bank staff employed to work at the home on a regular basis must receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience which allows them to reflect on their practice. 28 June 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children to be aware of and manage their own safety both inside and outside the home to the extent that any good parent would. All staff should have a full understanding of the home’s location risk assessment so that staff are well informed of the risks to children when they are spending time outside the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.13) Inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 7  The registered person should ensure that staff support children to develop understanding and empathy towards others. Positive behaviour and relationships should be reinforced, praised and encouraged; poor behaviour, including the use of derogatory language, should be challenged and discussed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11)

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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: SC456535 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: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Michelle Greenhalgh, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456535 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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