Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 1 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 run by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2021.

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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 outstanding

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2024 Full Good 13/09/2023 Full Good 04/05/2022 Full Good 24/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress from their starting points. This is because they are supported to build trusting relationships with staff. Staff are child centred and prioritise the needs of children. Staff praise children and encourage them to reach their full potential. This view is supported by family members, who said, ‘They don’t have unrealistic expectations, but they do have high expectations of [name of child] and they go out of their way to help.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a warm and welcoming lived-in, family environment. Children have their own bedrooms, which contain their personal belongings and are decorated to their individual taste. There are several communal spaces in the home that include areas for relaxing and for practising skills that interest children. Staff support children to have an input on the decor and furnishing of the home, which helps them to feel a sense of acceptance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children face difficulties in attending school, staff support them to learn at home. This promotes structure and routine in the child’s day. The manager liaises with education professionals in meetings and advocates on behalf of children. This has resulted in one child being supported back into education, and they are now making progress. One professional said that the home has taught children the importance of education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have lived at the home for several years. This helps to provide them with a sense of security and stability. Staff are therefore able to develop a strong understanding of the children’s needs and the risks they may face. Consequently, staff are able to support children effectively when they face challenges.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop the skills they will need to care for themselves as adults. This includes encouraging children to learn skills in the home, such as cooking and cleaning. Children are also supported to use public transport and to travel to visit places without help.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with their family. Staff build positive relationships with the children’s families and welcome them to the home where this is appropriate. This helps children to maintain important links to their family and enjoy spending time with them. Where there may be difficulties with the children’s family relationships, staff supervise the children’s family time and ensure that their safety and well-being are prioritised. Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 4

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

Staff follow individualised care plans and risk assessments to help keep children safe. Plans are updated on a regular basis to ensure staff have up-to-date information related to children’s needs.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff follow the child’s care plan and the relevant agencies are informed. Staff take immediate action to try to locate children for the duration of the episode. Children are welcomed home by staff when they return and are offered a return home interview by an independent person. Staff support children with key-work sessions to further their understanding of the episode of them going missing from the home, which helps them to identify any additional concerns. One professional said that the staff go ‘over and above’ to ensure the safety of the child.

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

Some children harm themselves when they are dealing with difficult emotions. Staff respond promptly when children have hurt themselves and seek medical treatment as appropriate. Staff help children to engage with external agencies who provide specialist mental health support in line with their needs. Staff are skilled in how they support children when they are experiencing difficulties, and children can rely on staff to be there for them.

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

Staff take any allegations made by children seriously and ensure that there is an appropriate response. They understand the procedures they must follow and prioritise the safety and well-being of the child. All allegations are investigated thoroughly and action is taken to safeguard children. This helps to provide children with assurances that their concerns are heard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the children exceptionally well and has an excellent understanding of each child’s needs. The manager is highly motivated and strives to support children to reach their full potential. The manager leads by example and has high aspirations for all children. As a result, children are making good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The experienced manager understands the level of support the staff team requires to meet the children’s needs. Staff speak extremely positively about the manager and feel very well supported. Staff receive regular supervision that allows them time to fully consider their practice and how they meet the needs of children. The manager also provides staff with bespoke training to enhance their skills and support their career progression. This support helps staff to reach their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is a strong advocate for children and she has high aspirations for them. This includes challenging partner agencies to ensure decisions are made in the best interests of children. For example, the manager pursues specialist mental health services for children when she recognises that these are needed. This ensures that children get the help and support they need in a timely way. Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 5 There is a core staff team and staff retention is good. This reinforces the positive comments made by staff, who enjoy working in the home. This provides familiarity and consistency to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a comprehensive monitoring system in place. This means that the manager has effective oversight of the home and how well the children’s needs are met. She has an excellent understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement and is implementing a comprehensive development plan. The manager is constantly striving to improve staff practice and the care children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have built highly effective working relationships with partner agencies. The manager ensures that information is shared promptly and that all meetings are attended. This helps to ensure that agencies are up to date with the needs and risks of the children. One professional said, ‘She will not stop encouraging the kids to reach for the stars.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were made following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 6

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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: 2597736 7

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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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Inspectors

Kerry Chater, Social Care Inspector Dawn McCluskey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2597736 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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