Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 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

The home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. Two children were spoken to.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2024 Full Good 24/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/01/2023 Full Inadequate 28/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed trusting relationships with staff and can identify someone who they can speak to if they are worried. They benefit from consistent and predictable care, which provides children with a sense of security and stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean and tidy. Children’s bedrooms are decorated to suit their tastes. Some of the communal areas need to be redecorated, and damaged carpets on the ground floor need to be replaced. However, the registered manager has put a plan in place to complete the work, which has already started.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children all attend school and are supported to understand the value of education. Staff ensure that they are safely transported to and from school each day. Since the last inspection, two children have been supported to maintain their school place despite the significant distance. This continuity means that children are taught by teaching staff who understand their learning style and support needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to build and maintain positive relationships with the important people in their lives. Staff work with professionals to ensure that contact plans that prioritise children’s well-being are followed. This enables children to spend time with their family in a safe way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to pursue their hobbies and are encouraged to try new ones. Staff actively source activities based on their knowledge of children’s interests. A child who enjoys football was taken to watch Soccer Aid with other children at the home. Other children had a chance to watch a tribute show based on their musical interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are effectively supported to attend planned and emergency appointments in response to their physical and mental health needs. Staff are aware of children’s health conditions, but how to manage these is not documented in their plans. Furthermore, leaders and managers have not supported a child to have a vaccination that was recommended following their looked-after children health assessment.

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

Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the roles and expertise of professionals, such as child and adolescent mental health services and the provider’s in- house therapist. They follow professional advice and guidance to ensure that children are supported and kept safe. In response to concerns about a child expressing suicidal thoughts, staff developed a safety plan, which was informed by the provider’s therapist. They also took guidance from her on what direct work should be with the child.

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

Allegations about staff practice are handled quickly. Leaders and managers ensure that all relevant professionals are aware of the allegation, including safeguarding partners Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 4 such as the local authority designated officer, to ensure that there is transparency and collective independent oversight.

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

Staff are subject to safer recruitment checks prior to commencing employment at the home. These checks are carried out to ensure that only individuals who are suitable to work with children are employed.

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

Overall, risk management plans accurately identify and assess potential risks in line with children’s current presenting behaviours. However, a recent behaviour displayed by a child is not reflected in their safety plans. Consequently, staff do not have clear guidance on the most effective response to mitigate against this.

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

The quality of direct work with children is variable. There is evidence that some staff carry out meaningful work, but this is not consistent across the team. Furthermore, planned sessions to address children’s identified support needs are not consistently taking place as intended.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager in post. She is supported by a deputy manager who understands the children’s needs. The staff team and professionals are confident in the registered manager’s leadership and ability to provide effective support to the children at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager understands the importance of children being cared for by staff who they know and trust. During periods of staff shortages, efforts have been made to maintain continuity of care by using permanent staff wherever possible. The registered manager also uses the same bank staff to ensure that children continue to feel secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has not ensured that where shortfalls in staff practice are identified, there is a consistent response that focuses on staff being accountable for their conduct. Some staff have been dismissed from their post due to concerns about their practice. For another staff member where concerns have been raised about their verbal response to one child, there are no records evidencing what action leaders and managers have taken to address this despite the registered manager and the staff member saying discussions about conduct have taken place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is no evidence that leaders and managers have challenged partners effectively when there are delays in receiving local authority documentation or when the documentation is not up to standard. Consequently, some care plans lack detail about children’s identified support needs and how these will be met. Additionally, children experience lengthy wait times for education, health and care (EHC) plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular opportunities to meet with leaders and managers for practice-related supervision. Some supervision records do not demonstrate that staff are being consistently encouraged to reflect on their practice. Because of this, opportunities to Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 5 support staff development and improve the quality of care through reflective learning are missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended and are used as a time for learning. Staff have access to training to ensure that they can fulfil their role and responsibilities in caring for children. However, although several allegations have been made during the inspection period, staff have not completed training on this. In addition, the workforce plan does not include up-to-date information about the training that staff have completed. Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that on receipt of care planning documentation they share their concerns about the quality of the information shared and continue to escalate this until documentation is received that clearly identifies children’s support needs and how these will be met.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, delays in receiving documentation such as EHC plans should be escalated. 23 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and 23 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 7 well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s individual plans detail their specific health conditions and how these should be managed.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that they act on recommendations assigned to them following children taking part in LAC health assessments.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children are supported to regularly attend dental appointments.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(c)(h)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that there is a consistent approach when concerns about staff practice and conduct are raised. This should ensure that staff are always accountable for their actions to prevent further inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, leaders and managers must ensure that staff supervision includes reflective discussions about their practice that helps staff critically reflect on their care of children at the home. Discussions should be used to promote staff development. 23 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 8 Leaders and managers must ensure that staff are carrying out direct work with children that is meaningful and helps children learn skills and develop knowledge that contributes to their safety.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the workforce plan includes an up-to-date record of staff training completed and qualifications achieved. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 52, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that staff complete training on the management of allegations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that new and emerging risks, and strategies to manage these, are immediately updated in children’s safety plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 1156098 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Parkview, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

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Inspector

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1156098 10 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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